Cobalt-Based Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Water-Splitting Reactions: Mini Review of Material Synthesis, HER, and OER Catalytic Performance

With the aggravation of the energy crisis, the development of efficient catalysts for hydrogen production from electrolyzed water to promote the development of clean hydrogen energy has become a hot research topic. Cobalt-based catalysts have received much attention in recent years due to their excellent catalytic activity and good stability in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This paper focuses on the synthesis methods of cobalt-based catalysts, such as hydrothermal method, thermal decomposition reduction method, electrodeposition method, etc, to provide theoretical basis and technical references for the design and development of subsequent high-performance electrolytic water catalysts. In addition, the future development direction of cobalt-based catalysts is also envisioned to provide valuable theoretical references for the design and preparation of highly efficient and low-cost cobalt-based catalysts and enhance their practical application value.