The different effect of Co3O4 or/and carbon fiber originated from biomass on the electrochemical hydrogen storage performance of Co2B alloy

Co 2 B alloy was synthesized via the method of high temperature solid phase. Carbon fiber (CF) was prepared from cotton by calcination process. The addition of carbon fiber and Co 3 O 4 improves corrosion resistance and charge transfer speed of the composite material electrode . The R ct value of Co 2 B + 1 wt.% CF was 360 mΩ, lower than the other composite electrode could reduce charge transfer resistance . The overall electrochemical performance of Co 2 B + 2 wt.% Co 3 O 4  + 1 wt.% CF was best among all the electrodes, and its C max could reach 715.3 mAh/g. The high conductivity and multiple reaction sites provided by carbon fiber and the catalytic effect of Co 3 O 4 may be the main reasons for the improvement of electrochemical performance, which enhance the kinetic performance of electrochemical reactions . The synergistic effect of carbon fiber and Co 3 O 4 improves the electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of Co 2 B alloy. This work presents a simple and effective method to improve the electrochemical hydrogen storage performance of cobalt-boron alloys by adding transition metal oxides and carbon materials derived from biomass.