ItemArticle

Bifunctional CoPBO/Co-MOF composite electrocatalyst for energy-efficient hydrogen evolution by urea-assisted water splitting

Title
Bifunctional CoPBO/Co-MOF composite electrocatalyst for energy-efficient hydrogen evolution by urea-assisted water splitting
Creator
Bhabal, Rinkoo; Gupta, Suraj; Fernandes, Rohan; Gupta, Mukul; Patel, Nainesh
Description
Urea oxidation reaction (UOR) offers a lower energy alternative to generate hydrogen from urea-based wastewater while simultaneously contributing to environmental remediation. However, the commercial viability of this process is hindered by the inability of the electrocatalyst to achieve higher current densities for UOR due to the competition with the OER. In this study, a cobalt-MOF-derived CoPBO/Co-MOF composite electrocatalyst was synthesized over Ni foam using a solvothermal method followed by a simple chemical reduction method for UOR. The CoPBO/Co-MOF@NF demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic bifunctional activity with low potentials of +1.32 V and ?0.095 V for UOR and HER, respectively, at 100 mA/cm2 in 1 M KOH +0.33 M urea solution. Under industrial-level alkaline conditions (6 M KOH), the potential requirement for UOR is further decreased to 1.14 V, also achieving a high current density of 1 A/cm2 at only 1.35 V, which is below the thermoneutral voltage for water splitting. Comprehensive electrochemical kinetic analysis revealed that the CoPBO/Co-MOF composite effectively combines the attributes of CoPBO, for strong OH? adsorption and CoOOH formation, with the affinity of Co-MOF for urea adsorption and CO2 desorption, leading to enhanced UOR performance. Furthermore, in a zero-gap electrolyzer configuration, the CoPBO/Co-MOF@NF catalyst demonstrated remarkable efficiency in actual cow urine (with 1 M KOH), requiring only 1.39 V to achieve a current density of 100 mA/cm2 which is 0.5 V lower than in urea-free water splitting. 2025
Source
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy;Volume;116;pp.299-311
Date
01-01-2025
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Subject
Co-MOF; Composite catalyst; Green hydrogen; Urea oxidation
Coverage
Bhabal R., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Gupta S., Advanced Materials Department, Joef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia; Fernandes R., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Gupta M., UGC, DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Khandwa Road, Madhya Pradesh, Indore, 452001, India; Patel N., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India
Rights
Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
Relation
ISSN: 3603199; CODEN: IJHED
Format
online
Language
English
Type
Article

Citation

Bhabal, Rinkoo; Gupta, Suraj; Fernandes, Rohan; Gupta, Mukul; Patel, Nainesh, “Bifunctional CoPBO/Co-MOF composite electrocatalyst for energy-efficient hydrogen evolution by urea-assisted water splitting,” CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) Institutional Repository, accessed June 18, 2026, https://archives.christuniversity.in/items/show/22298.

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