Facile Synthesis of Mesoporous Co₃O₄/CoO on rGO Nanocomposites as Highly Active and Stable Oxygen Bi-Functional Electrocatalysts

Abstract

Mesoporous Co3O4 mixed CoO onto reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites were obtained by an easy surfactant-free synthesis using urea as hydrolyzing agent. This route enabled nanomaterials presenting tuned morphology, surface composition and oxide-rGO interactions as revealed by the different characterization techniques. Indeed, nanostructures varied from broom-like, chrysanthemumlike to micro-sized sheet-like morphologies. The amount of Co3O4 phase was shown to be gradually rising as the urea amount increases being always higher at the surface than in the bulk. Different oxide-rGO interactions have also been demonstrated, suggesting that high amounts of urea cause a decrease in the size of the nanoparticles and limit their superposition. The catalysts prepared at high urea concentrations showed more exposed electroactive surface and enhanced activity as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts. Furthermore, the most active nanocomposite exhibited remarkable stability, making it a very promising candidate for the elaboration of a stable and truly reversible air electrode in alkaline media.