title: Reversible adapting layer produces robust single-crystal electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution.
abstract: Electrochemically converting water into oxygen/hydrogen gas is ideal for high-density renewable energy storage in which robust electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen evolution play crucial roles. To date, however, electrocatalysts with long-term stability have remained elusive. Here we report that single-crystal Co3O4 nanocube underlay with a thin CoO layer results in a high-performance and high-stability electrocatalyst in oxygen evolution reaction. An in situ X-ray diffraction method is developed to observe a strong correlation between the initialization of the oxygen evolution and the formation of active metal oxyhydroxide phase. The lattice of skin layer adapts to the structure of the active phase, which enables a reversible facile structural change that facilitates the chemical reactions without breaking the scaffold of the electrocatalysts. The single-crystal nanocube electrode exhibits stable, continuous oxygen evolution for >1,000 h. This robust stability is attributed to the complementary nature of defect-free single-crystal electrocatalyst and the reversible adapting layer.
authors: Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
authors: Ching-Wei
authors: CW
authors: Tung
authors: Program for Science and Technology of Accelerator Light Source, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
authors: Ying-Ya
authors: YY
authors: Hsu
authors: Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
authors: Yen-Ping
authors: YP
authors: Shen
authors: Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
authors: Yixin
authors: Y
authors: Zheng
authors: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
authors: Ting-Shan
authors: TS
authors: Chan
authors: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
authors: Hwo-Shuenn
authors: HS
authors: Sheu
authors: Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
authors: Yuan-Chung
authors: YC
authors: Cheng
authors: Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
authors: Hao Ming
authors: HM
authors: Chen