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Research

Covalent organic frameworks as electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction

The usage of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind turbine systems has increased in the context of energy revolution. However, their power generation is discontinuous which necessitates the development of energy storage options. Excess energy can be used to electrolyze water to generate O₂ and H₂ which can be converted back to water in a fuel cell during energy shortages. However, this method of energy storage is mainly limited by the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Noble metal-based materials are benchmarking catalysts but their scarcity hinder large-scale application.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an interesting material class for low-metal-content and metal-free catalyst because they allow for precise design of the polymeric structure. Conventional electrochemical methods are applied to study the activity of different materials such as covalent triazine frameworks, graphitic carbon nitrides and terpyridine based polymers on OER and ORR electrocatalysis.

Research focus:

• Oxygen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction
• Electrocatalysis
• Covalent organic frameworks