Carbon skeleton doped with Co, N, S and P as efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

A new strategy for the preparation of highly efficient catalyst used in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media was developed. A Co-containing carbonitride polymer network (CoCN) was selected as a structural-directing template and a hypercross-linked polymer containing S and P, which formed on CoCN skeleton in situ, was used as a cover. After calcination at 450 degrees C for 2 h, an interconnected nanostructure was obtained and showed excellent activity and high stability for electrochemical water splitting. Trace amount of Co and other heteroatoms including N, S, P and the formed Co-N and Co-O species are essential for the impressive catalysis performance. The calcination temperature of 450 degrees C is optimal to the catalysis performance. These results suggest that Co in addition to heteroatom-doped (S, P) carbonitride could be used as a supplement and/or an alternative to noble metal oxides for water splitting.