Cobalt oxide nanocubes interleaved reduced graphene oxide as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

Abstract

Cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanocubes were incorporated into reduced graphene oxide (RGO) using a simple single-step hydrothermal reaction for an electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The obtained nanohybrid structure of RGO@Co3O4 was adequately characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The RGO@Co3O4 nanohybrid with 4wt% of graphene oxide modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode exhibited better electrocatalytic activity in terms of the current density, overpotential and stability, compared to the other controlled modified electrodes and commercial Pt/C catalyst for the ORR in an alkaline medium. The RGO@Co3O4 nanohybrid showed good methanol tolerance for the ORR in the presence of 0.5M methanol.