Conductive Co-triazole metal-organic framework exploited as oxygen evolution electrocatalyst

For an effective electrocatalyst, just heat in a microwave

31 August 2022

An effective electrocatalyst for the generation and storage of clean energy can be readily fabricated by just heating with microwaves.

The oxygen evolution reaction is a key reaction for generating the clean fuel hydrogen from water. Electrocatalysts are needed to facilitate the reaction, but many of them contain precious metals.

A class of porous materials consisting of metal nodes and organic connectors known as metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising as cheaper alternatives.

Now, a team led by researchers from Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC) in Thailand has shown that a cobalt-containing MOF acts as an efficient and robust electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction. Its high performance stems from a high density of catalytic centres.

Importantly, the MOF can be easily fabricated in an environmentally friendly process that just involves heating an aqueous solution with microwaves.

Supported content

References

1. Chemical Communications 58, 7124 (2022). doi: 10.1039/d2cc02526d