Low-cost CoFe2O4/biomass carbon hybrid from metal-enriched sulfate reducing bacteria as an electrocatalyst for water oxidation

Abstract

The development of electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) requires extensive and challenging research for the water splitting and fuel cell applications. Herein, we report a low-cost CoFe₂O₄/biomass carbon (CFO@BC/Zn) hybrid from Co-enriched Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (Co-SRB) as an electrocatalyst for OER. The electrocatalyst exhibits a low potential of 1.53 V at a current density 10 mA cm⁻² and Tafel slope of 86 mV dec⁻¹. This method does not require high-cost or long periods of preparation. The density-functional theory (DFT) calculations show a small barrier for oxygen conversion on Fe³⁺ of CFO (100) surface. The synthesis of CFO@BC/Zn may be a new approach for obtaining low-priced electrocatalysts for OER.