Dual Doping of W and Cr on Co3O4 Accelerates Reconstruction for Improved Oxygen Evolution in Neutral Media

The development of efficient oxygen evolution (OER) catalysts in neutral media is crucial for the production of biomixed fuels and chemicals. The unique reaction environment makes the reaction kinetics sluggish and poses significant challenges for catalyst design. Therefore, this study presents the synthesis of W, Cr-Co₃O₄ electrocatalysts using the hydrothermal calcination method for neutral OER. The doping of W and Cr modulates the electronic structure of Co₃O₄ and enhances electrical conductivity. Moreover, the double doping of W and Cr accelerates the catalyst's reconstruction, thereby improving catalytic activity. The optimized W, Cr-Co₃O₄ demonstrates efficient OER catalytic performance in 1 M phosphate buffer solution, with an overpotential of 347 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 and stable operation for over 100 hours. This work deepens the understanding of the reconstruction mechanism of OER catalysts in a neutral environment and provides valuable insights for the design of stable and efficient catalysts.