Co3O4-RuO2/Ti3C2Tx MXene Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Acidic and Alkaline Media

Abstract

MXene 2D materials and non-noble transition metal oxide nanoparticles have been proposed as novel pH-universal platforms for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), owing to the enhancement of active site exposures and conductivity. Herein, Co₃O₄-RuO₂ /Ti₃C₂T_x/carbon cloths (CRMC) were assembled in a facile way as an efficient OER platform through a hydrothermal process. The Co₃O₄-RuO₂/Ti₃C₂T_x demonstrated prominent OER catalytic performance under acidic and alkaline conditions, which showed overpotential values of 195 and 247 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² with Tafel slopes of 93 and 97 mVdec⁻¹, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the electron transfer from Co₃O₄-RuO₂ to Ti₃C₂T_x/carbon cloth played a remarkable role in promoting OER catalytic activity. Further OER characterization indicated that the enhanced multi-electron reaction kinetics are attributed to Co and Ru acting as the primary active places for O₂ adsorption and activation, which facilitated the generation of *OOH intermediate.