Composition- and Structure-Tunable Gold–Cobalt Nanoparticles and Electrocatalytic Synergy for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

The increasing energy crisis constitutes an inspiring drive seeking alternative energies such as hydrogen from water splitting which is clean and abundant, but a key challenge for water splitting is the need of highly efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This report describes findings of an investigation of the synthesis of gold-cobalt (AuCo) nanoparticles by a facile one-pot and injection method and their use as highly efficient catalysts for OER. While particle size depends on the synthesis method, the composition of the nanoparticles is controlled by feeding ratio of Au and Co precursors in the synthesis. Depending on Co content, the nanoparticles exhibit largely phase-segregated domains with a core (Au)-shell (Co) type of structure at a high level of Co. Upon the thermochemical treatment of carbon-supported AuCo nanoparticles, the redox activity of Co species in the nanoparticles with cycle number is shown to decrease which changes the surface oxidation state of Co species without changing the composition significantly. The electrocatalytic activity for OER in alkaline electrolytes is shown to depend on the bimetallic composition, displaying a maximum activity for an Au:Co ratio of ∼2:3. This dependence is also shown to correlate with the surface oxidation state and redox activities, providing an insight into the electrocatalytic activity. Mechanistic aspects of the electrocataltytic properties are discussed in terms of the bifunctional synergy of Co and Au in the nanoparticle catalysts.