Novel Stable Co3O4-SnO2 Heterojunction Electrocatalysts with Low Oxygen Evolution Potential
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis offers a sustainable route for hydrogen production, yet the reliance on costly noble metal-based anodes hinders scalability. Tin dioxide (SnO<sub>2</sub>) emerges as a promising alternative due to its acid stability, but its high oxygen evolution potential (OEP) limits practical application in hydrogen production via water electrolysis. Here, we address this challenge by incorporating cobalt (Co) into SnO<sub>2</sub> to create a heterojunction electrocatalyst. The optimized Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>-SnO<sub>2</sub> heterojunction catalyst with a tin-to-cobalt mass ratio of 3:1 exhibits a significantly reduced OEP (1.6 V vs. RHE) and an overpotential of 186 mV at 10 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> in acidic media, outperforming undoped SnO<sub>2</sub>. Stability tests reveal a lifespan exceeding 24 h at 100 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>, a threefold improvement over pure SnO<sub>2</sub>. This work underscores the potential of the Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>-SnO<sub>2</sub> heterojunction electrocatalyst as a cost-effective, durable anode catalyst for PEM electrolyzers.
Authors
- Binge Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2125-4826)
- Aqing Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2442-5727)
- Wen Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1902-506X)
- Meng Gao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8797-8993)
- Jun Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0703-6631)
- Youchen Sun
Institutions
- Hangzhou Dianzi University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Materials
- Published
- 2025-04-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18081869
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.36
Funders
- Zhejiang Province Public Welfare Technology Application Research Project