Synergistic Amplification of Oxygen Generation in (Photo)Catalytic Water Splitting by a PEDOT/Nano‐Co₃O₄/MWCNT Thin Film Composite

Abstract

Amplifying catalysis by thoughtful exploitation of synergistic effects with interacting supports is a new field of potentially great significance. It is particularly relevant for solar‐assisted reactions that are currently too poorly catalyzed to be practically viable, such as photoelectrochemical splitting of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen. In this work we describe synergistic amplification of water oxidation photoelectrocatalysis by the use of a thin layer electroactive polymer support. Coating of a bare Pt surface with a 0.98 μm thick film of poly(3,4‐ethylene‐dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) containing a specific molar ratio of nano‐Co3O4 (a water oxidation catalyst) and multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (oxidatively stable conductors) synergistically amplifies its rate of water oxidation catalysis by 15‐fold (under the most oxidizing conditions that can be applied to PEDOT without degradation; with light illumination of 0.25 sun). To the best of our knowledge, this film is the most active water oxidation catalyst yet reported under near‐neutral (pH 12) conditions as a proportion of the activity of Pt, which is the industry‐standard catalyst of the reaction.

One-step synthesis, characterization and properties of novel hybrid electromagnetic nanomaterials based on polydiphenylamine and Co–Fe particles in the absence and presence of single-walled carbon nanotubes

“…[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] The primary advantages of ternary nanocomposites are the synergistic effect between the three components, resulting in excellent electronic, optical, sensing, catalytic, magnetic properties, environmental and thermal stability. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] Polymer-metalcarbon nanomaterials based on conjugated polymers can be used in magnetic information recording systems, for medical purposes, as electromagnetic radiation absorbing materials, to create sensors and nanoprobes, rechargeable batteries, and other electrochemical devices.…”

Conducting-Polymer Nanocomposites as Synergistic Supports That Accelerate Electro-Catalysis: PEDOT/Nano Co3O4/rGO as a Photo Catalyst of Oxygen Production from Water

“…The methodology for fabricating the thin-film PEDOT/nano Co 3 O 4 /rGO nanocomposite electrodes was as described previously [4], with GO incorporated instead of MWCNTs. Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles with nominal size of 25 nm were provided by Skyspring Nanomaterials.…”

“…As such, it is important to develop techniques that maximize the performance of nano-particulate electro-catalysts, which are typically deposited as thin films on electrode surfaces. One approach that has recently been developed by our research group in this respect involves the use of conducting polymers [2] and conductive additives as supports that create synergies with the electro-catalyst to maximally accelerate the overall electrocatalytic rate [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”

“…In effect, the photo-(or)electro-catalyst is deposited in a thin film nanocomposite that contains within it very specific proportions of a uniformly dispersed conducting polymer and conductive additive. The conducting polymer provides a large number of electrical connections to the innumerable catalytic sites on the many surfaces of the catalyst nanoparticles, along the shortest possible connection pathways to the electrode, while the conductive additive decreases the resistance of those pathways and increases visible light absorbance [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”

“…This is necessary to ensure that the largest possible quantity of catalyst nanoparticles is present, yielding the highest possible catalytic activity. In this way, the competing requirements of maximum catalytic loading, and the best electrical connection to each catalytic site, along the shortest and most conductive pathway to the electrode, are simultaneously achieved [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”