Lithium cobaltate is expected to replace precious metal catalyst

Recently, scholars from Rutgers State University and the University of Antwerp in Belgium discovered that lithium cobalt oxide, a common cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, can reduce the overpotential required for water decomposition and have a high working current density, combined with large reserves and ease. With good processing and stability, it is expected to replace the current expensive noble metal oxides IrO2 and RuO2, and is used as an industrial catalyst for electrolyzed water and solar powered fuel cells.

The researchers found that lithium cobalt oxide itself has no catalytic activity for water decomposition, but using sol-gel method and controlling the post-calcination temperature, can get a core-shell structure nanocrystalline material with a good particle size and specific surface area. This material can be used to build new photocatalytic or electrocatalytic devices.