Single phase of spinel Co2RhO4 nanotubes with remarkably enhanced catalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction

Abstract

We report the effective crystal growth for a unique single phase of spinel cobalt rhodium oxide (Co2RhO4) nanotubes via the electrospinning process combined with the thermal annealing process. In the spinel structure of the electrospun Co2RhO4 nanotubes, Co3+ cations and Rh3+ cations randomly occupy the octahedral sites, while the remaining half of the Co2+ cations occupy the centres of the tetrahedral sites as proved by microscopic and spectroscopic observations. Furthermore, electrospun spinel Co2RhO4 nanotubes exhibit excellent catalytic performances with the least positive onset potential, greatest current density, and low Tafel slope which are even better than those of the commercial Ir/C electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline solution. Our demonstration of significantly enhanced OER activity with a single phase of electrospun spinel Co2RhO4 nanotubes thus opens up the broad applicability of our synthetic methodology for accessing new OER catalysis.