Fig. 1: Morphology and structural characterizations of as-prepared pre-catalysts.

a SEM, (b, c) TEM, (d) HR-TEM images of A-RSCOH. e HADDF-STEM image and element mapping of A-RSCOH. f, g XANES (f) and FT-EXAFS (g) at Co K-edge of as-prepared electrocatalysts. h FT-EXAFS and relevant fitting curves of A-RSCOH. i–l WT-EXAFS (the R in ordinate and k in abscissa represent the distance from the central atom and the wavelength of the oscillation) of Co foil (i), CoOOH (j), A-SCOH (k), A-RSCOH (l).