title: Unification of catalytic water oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions: amorphous beat crystalline cobalt iron oxides.
abstract: Catalytic water splitting to hydrogen and oxygen is considered as one of the convenient routes for the sustainable energy conversion. Bifunctional catalysts for the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are pivotal for the energy conversion and storage, and alternatively, the photochemical water oxidation in biomimetic fashion is also considered as the most useful way to convert solar energy into chemical energy. Here we present a facile solvothermal route to control the synthesis of amorphous and crystalline cobalt iron oxides by controlling the crystallinity of the materials with changing solvent and reaction time and further utilize these materials as multifunctional catalysts for the unification of photochemical and electrochemical water oxidation as well as for the oxygen reduction reaction. Notably, the amorphous cobalt iron oxide produces superior catalytic activity over the crystalline one under photochemical and electrochemical water oxidation and oxygen reduction conditions.
authors.affiliation: Metalorganics and Inorganic Materials, Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin , Straße des 17 Juni 135, Sekr. C2, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Arindam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Indra
authors.forename: Prashanth W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Nastaran Ranjbar
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Sahraie
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.forename: Chittaranjan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tallarida
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmeißer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strasser
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Driess