Perfluorinated cobalt phthalocyanine effectively catalyzes water electrooxidation

Efficient electrocatalysis of water oxidation under mild conditions at neutral pH was achieved by a fluorinated cobalt phthalocyanine immobilized on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) surfaces with an onset potential at 1.7 V vs. RHE. Spectroscopic, electrochemical, and inhibition studies indicate that phthalocyanine molecular species are the operational active sites. Neither free cobalt ions nor heterogeneous cobalt oxide particles or films were observed. During long-term controlled-potential electrolysis at 2 V vs. RHE (phosphate buffer, pH 7), electrocatalytic water oxidation was sustained for at least 8 h (TON ≈ 1.0 × 105), producing about 4 μmol O2 h-1 cm-2 with a turnover frequency (TOF) of about 3.6 s-1 and no measurable catalyst degradation.