Stabilization of Cobalt-Polyoxometalate over Poly(ionic liquid) Composites for Efficient Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation

The key to unlock a renewable, clean, and energy-dense hydrogen fuel lies in designing an efficient oxygen evolving catalyst exhibiting high activity, stability, and cost-effectiveness. This report addresses an improved activity toward oxygen evolution by a composite of cobalt-polyoxometalate [Co4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2]10– (CoPOM) and an ionic polymer, poly(vinyl butyl imidazolium) (PVIM), in highly alkaline media. PVIM provides a stable platform for CoPOM and acts as a conductive linker between CoPOM and the electrode surface, forming a concrete solid composite, which balances the multinegative charge of CoPOM synergistically. This improved stability and conductivity of CoPOM by PVIM in the PVIM–CoPOM composite performs remarkable electrocatalytic water oxidation with a very low overpotential of 0.20 V and a very high current density of 250 mA/cm2 (at 1.75 V vs RHE) with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 52.8 s–1 in 1 M NaOH.