Anodic Oxidation Enabled Cation Leaching for Promoting Surface Reconstruction in Water Oxidation

Yan Duan, Jun Yan Lee, Shibo Xi, Yuanmiao Sun, Jingjie Ge, Samuel Jun Hoong Ong, Yubo Chen, Shuo Dou, Fanxu Meng, Caozheng Diao, Adrian C. Fisher, Xin Wang, Günther G. Scherer, Alexis Grimaud*, Zhichuan J. Xu*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

195 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A rational design for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts is pivotal to the overall efficiency of water electrolysis. Much work has been devoted to understanding cation leaching and surface reconstruction of very active electrocatalysts, but little on intentionally promoting the surface in a controlled fashion. We now report controllable anodic leaching of Cr in CoCr2O4 by activating the pristine material at high potential, which enables the transformation of inactive spinel CoCr2O4 into a highly active catalyst. The depletion of Cr and consumption of lattice oxygen facilitate surface defects and oxygen vacancies, exposing Co species to reconstruct into active Co oxyhydroxides differ from CoOOH. A novel mechanism with the evolution of tetrahedrally coordinated surface cation into octahedral configuration via non-concerted proton-electron transfer is proposed. This work shows the importance of controlled anodic potential in modifying the surface chemistry of electrocatalysts. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7418-7425
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume60
Issue number13
Online published28 Dec 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Mar 2021
Externally publishedYes

Research Keywords

  • Co-based materials
  • controllable leaching
  • OER
  • site occupancy
  • surface reconstruction

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