New Water Oxidation Electrocatalyst Based on the Cobalt-Containing Polyoxometalate-Reduced Graphene Oxide Hybrid Nanomaterial.

A new hybrid nanomaterial based on the immobilization of cobalt-containing polyoxometalate (CoPOM) on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was designed for an efficient electrocatalytic water splitting reaction. First, the surface of rGO was functionalized with aminopropylsilyl groups and protonated with hydrochloric acid to produce ammonium groups. Then, the electrostatic interaction of positively charged rGO-supported ammonium groups with anionic CoPOM produced a CoPOM-APTS-rGO hybrid nanomaterial. The achieved hybrid nanomaterial exhibited a low overpotential of 128 mV versus NHE at a current density of 10 mA cm in the electrocatalytic water oxidation at pH 7. In addition, a fast reaction kinetic with a Tafel slope of 74 mV dec was seen in the presence of the prepared hybrid nanomaterial. Linear sweep voltammetry analysis revealed the long-term stability and activity of CoPOM-APTS-rGO for water oxidation in neutral conditions.