Ti/PbO2 + nano-Co3O4 composite electrode material for electrocatalysis of O2 evolution in alkaline solution

Ti/PbO2 + nano-Co3O4 composite electrode materials with different compositions were prepared by anodic composite electrodeposition on Ti substrate, with a SnO2–Sb2O5 intermediate layer in Pb2+ plating solution containing suspended nano-Co3O4 particles. The composition, structure, and morphology of the composite materials were investigated by XRD, XPS, and SEM analyses. The composite electrodes were studied as anodes for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 mol/L NaOH solution. The activities for the OER of the composites were explained by recording linear scanning voltammograms and Tafel plots. Results indicate that the onset potential of oxygen evolution at the composite electrode was lowered by approximately 160 mV compared to the PbO2 electrode without nano-Co3O4. The catalytic activity of the composite electrode towards OER was improved significantly.