Efficient electrocatalytic water oxidation by N-phthaloyl-γ-aminobutyric acid-cobalt 1D MOF†

Abstract

Water electrolysis is critical for generating hydrogen and oxygen as alternative renewable fuels. The primary challenge lies in developing simple, economical, and eco-friendly catalysts with minimal overpotential. This study introduces a cobalt-based 1D metal–organic framework (MOF) as a highly efficient catalyst for water oxidation under electrochemical conditions. Significantly, the ligand and water bridges between Co(II) centers play a crucial role in electrocatalysis. Through electrochemical, spectroscopic, and electron microscopy analyses, we demonstrate that the 1D MOF is an effective heterogeneous electrocatalyst for water oxidation, achieving a high faradaic efficiency of 85% and an overpotential of just 390 mV. These findings offer a new direction in designing cost-effective and highly efficient transition-metal-based catalysts for water oxidation.