Abstract
Cobalt oxide is a promising earth-abundant electrocatalyst for water splitting; however, the structural complexity of oxides coupled with the difficulty of characterizing it in its operating environment means that fundamental understanding of its catalytic properties remains poor. In this study, we go beyond vacuum studies and investigate the morphological evolution of a CoOx/Au(111) model system from intermediate to high pressures of H2O vapor by means of scanning tunneling microscopy and near-ambient pressure and vacuum X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At elevated H2O pressure, we describe the formation of a well-defined Co(OH)2 nanoisland morphology with cobalt in the +2 oxidation state. In contrast, the presence of O2, in air and liquid water, results in only partially hydroxylated Co3+ phases comprising sheets of the CoO(OHx) trilayer, corresponding to a single sheet of cobalt(III)oxyhydroxide. We conclude that the oxyhydroxide structure, known to be the catalytically active phase for the oxygen evo...
Submitted Version (
Free)
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
