Halide-Doping Effect of Strontium Cobalt Oxide Electrocatalyst and the Induced Activity for Oxygen Evolution in an Alkaline Solution

Abstract

Perovskites of strontium cobalt oxyhalides having the chemical formulae Sr2CoO4-xHx (H = F, Cl, and Br; x = 0 and 1) were prepared using a solid-phase synthesis approach and comparatively evaluated as electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution in an alkaline solution. The perovskite electrocatalyst crystal phase, surface morphology, and composition were examined by X-ray diffraction, a scanning electron microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping. The electrochemical investigations of the oxyhalides catalysts showed that the doping of F, Cl, or Br into the Sr2CoO4 parent oxide enhances the electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with the onset potential as well as the potential required to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm2 shifting to lower potential values in the order of Sr2CoO4 (1.64, 1.73) > Sr2CoO3Br (1.61, 1.65) > Sr2CoO3Cl (1.53, 1.60) > Sr2CoO3F (1.50, 1.56) V vs. HRE which indicates that Sr2CoO3F is the most active electrode among the studied catalysts under static and steady-state conditions. Moreover, Sr2CoO3F demonstrates long-term stability and remarkably less charge transfer resistance (Rct = 36.8 ohm) than the other oxyhalide counterparts during the OER. The doping of the perovskites with halide ions particularly the fluoride-ion enhances the surface oxygen vacancy density due to electron withdrawal away from the Co-atom which improves the ionic and electronic conductivity as well as the electrochemical activity of the oxygen evolution in alkaline solution.