Boron-doped diamond composites for durable oxygen evolution

Through the utilization of a singular annealing procedure to merge CoFe, CoFe2C, and BDD, a novel BDD-based OER catalyst exhibiting remarkable long-lasting stability has been developed. This catalyst surpasses the performance of conventional RuO2 catalysts and previously documented carbon-based FeCo catalysts. The exceptional performance of this catalyst is primarily attributed to the coherent interface and enduring BDD substrate. [Display omitted] The urgent need to develop efficient, durable, and cost-effective oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for energy conversion and storage has prompted extensive research. Currently available commercial noble metal-based OER catalysts are expensive and exhibit limited long-term stability. In this study, boron-doped diamond composites (BDDCs) consisting of CoFe and CoFe2C nanoparticles supported by boron-doped diamond (BDD) particles have been prepared. The BDDC catalyst, prepared through a straightforward annealing process, exhibits exceptional durability (up to 72 h at 10 mA cm−2), a low overpotential (306 mV at 10 mA cm−2), and modest Tafel slope (58 mV dec-1). The coherent interfaces between CoFe/CoFe2C nanoparticles and the BDD substrate are essential for enhancing the OER performance. The fabrication method and composite structures presented in this study may facilitate the design and production of promising catalysts.