A Methanol-Modulated Cobalt-Doped La-based Metal-Organic Framework Derived Catalyst for Enhancing Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

The development of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing water electrolysis applications. To overcome the activity and conductivity limitations of transition metal catalysts, we synthesized a methanol-regulated Co-doped La-based metal-organic framework (La-MOF) precursor and pyrolyzed it to obtain Co-doped La2O3. The introduction of methanol optimized the pore structure and specific surface area of the MOF precursor, facilitating the exposure of active sites and electrolyte transport. The incorporation of Co promoted the formation of crystalline La2O3 during pyrolysis, significantly enhancing material stability. Additionally, it induced the generation of oxygen vacancies, improving charge transfer capability. The synthesized material exhibits high catalytic activity with an overpotential of 253 mV at 10 mA·cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 78.4 mV·dec-1, while maintaining nearly constant current density during continuous operation for 12 hours, outperforming RuO2. These results undoubtedly highlight the potential of La-MOF-derived materials in electrochemical applications for developing high-performance catalysts across diverse fields.