Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Co₃O₄/Au Heterostructure as a Catalyst for Efficient Oxygen Reduction

Porous nanostructures with a yolk-shell complex interior will provide lots of virtues to construct advanced catalysts. In our work, the preparation of novel yolk-shell Au nanocrystal-loaded Co₃O₄ nanocages (Co₃O₄/Au heterostructure) from a metal-organic framework-derived composite was reported. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, and so forth were used to analyze the morphology, structure, and composition of the heterostructures. Most importantly, Co₃O₄/Au heterostructures are a kind of low-cost, good performance catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction to replace the noble-Pt catalysts. The high surface area of the porous structure and the excellent electron transfer properties of well-dispersed Au nanocrystals and also the electronic coupling effect between Co₃O₄ and Au in the composites are attributed to the good performance.