Carbon–nitrogen–metal material as a high performing oxygen evolution catalyst

Abstract

Novel oxygen evolution catalysts were prepared through diazonium coupling chemistry to covalently modify Vulcan carbon via terpyridine (tpy) motifs followed by coordination of non-precious transition metals (Ni, Co) to the tpy-ligand on the surface support. This resulted in highly active catalysts that demonstrate low overpotentials for the V-tpy-Ni catalyst of 313 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², and stable long-term performance over 26 hours of continual testing.