1
|
Huang J, Borca CN, Huthwelker T, Yüzbasi NS, Baster D, El Kazzi M, Schneider CW, Schmidt TJ, Fabbri E. Surface oxidation/spin state determines oxygen evolution reaction activity of cobalt-based catalysts in acidic environment. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3067. [PMID: 38594282 PMCID: PMC11003995 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47409-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Co-based catalysts are promising candidates to replace Ir/Ru-based oxides for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis in an acidic environment. However, both the reaction mechanism and the active species under acidic conditions remain unclear. In this study, by combining surface-sensitive soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy characterization with electrochemical analysis, we discover that the acidic OER activity of Co-based catalysts are determined by their surface oxidation/spin state. Surfaces composed of only high-spin CoII are found to be not active due to their unfavorable water dissociation to form CoIII-OH species. By contrast, the presence of low-spin CoIII is essential, as it promotes surface reconstruction of Co oxides and, hence, OER catalysis. The correlation between OER activity and Co oxidation/spin state signifies a breakthrough in defining the structure-activity relationship of Co-based catalysts for acidic OER, though, interestingly, such a relationship does not hold in alkaline and neutral environments. These findings not only help to design efficient acidic OER catalysts, but also deepen the understanding of the reaction mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhen Huang
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
| | | | - Thomas Huthwelker
- Photon Science Division, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Nur Sena Yüzbasi
- Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics, Empa - Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Dominika Baster
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Mario El Kazzi
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Christof W Schneider
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Thomas J Schmidt
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
- Institute for Molecular Physical Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Emiliana Fabbri
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Matsumoto Y, Nagatsuka K, Yamaguchi Y, Kudo A. Understanding the reaction mechanism and kinetics of photocatalytic oxygen evolution on CoOx-loaded bismuth vanadate. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:214706. [PMID: 38047512 DOI: 10.1063/5.0177506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Photocatalytic water splitting for green hydrogen production is hindered by the sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Loading a co-catalyst is essential for accelerating the kinetics, but the detailed reaction mechanism and role of the co-catalyst are still obscure. Here, we focus on cobalt oxide (CoOx) loaded on bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) to investigate the impact of CoOx on the OER mechanism. We employ photoelectrochemical impedance spectroscopy and simultaneous measurements of photoinduced absorption and photocurrent. The reduction of V5+ in BiVO4 promotes the formation of a surface state on CoOx that plays a crucial role in the OER. The third-order reaction rate with respect to photohole charge density indicates that reaction intermediate species accumulate in the surface state through a three-electron oxidation process prior to the rate-determining step. Increasing the excitation light intensity onto the CoOx-loaded anode improves the photoconversion efficiency significantly, suggesting that the OER reaction at dual sites in an amorphous CoOx(OH)y layer dominates over single sites. Therefore, CoOx is directly involved in the OER by providing effective reaction sites, stabilizing reaction intermediates, and improving the charge transfer rate. These insights help advance our understanding of co-catalyst-assisted OER to achieve efficient water splitting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiyasu Matsumoto
- Toyota Physical and Chemical Research Institute, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192, Japan
| | - Kengo Nagatsuka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
| | - Yuichi Yamaguchi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
- Carbon Value Research Center, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
| | - Akihiko Kudo
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
- Carbon Value Research Center, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Budiyanto E, Tüysüz H. Cobalt Oxide Nanowires with Controllable Diameter and Crystal Structures for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction. Eur J Inorg Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ejic.202200065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eko Budiyanto
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung: Max-Planck-Institut fur Kohlenforschung Heterogeneous Catalysis GERMANY
| | - Harun Tüysüz
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung: Max-Planck-Institut fur Kohlenforschung Heterogeneous Catalysis Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr GERMANY
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Budiyanto E, Salamon S, Wang Y, Wende H, Tüysüz H. Phase Segregation in Cobalt Iron Oxide Nanowires toward Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity. JACS AU 2022; 2:697-710. [PMID: 35373196 PMCID: PMC8970005 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The impact of reduction post-treatment and phase segregation of cobalt iron oxide nanowires on their electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity is investigated. A series of cobalt iron oxide spinel nanowires are prepared via the nanocasting route using ordered mesoporous silica as a hard template. The replicated oxides are selectively reduced through a mild reduction that results in phase transformation as well as the formation of grain boundaries. The detailed structural analyses, including the 57Fe isotope-enriched Mössbauer study, validated the formation of iron oxide clusters supported by ordered mesoporous CoO nanowires after the reduction process. This affects the OER activity significantly, whereby the overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 decreases from 378 to 339 mV and the current density at 1.7 V vs RHE increases by twofold from 150 to 315 mA/cm2. In situ Raman microscopy revealed that the surfaces of reduced CoO were oxidized to cobalt with a higher oxidation state upon solvation in the KOH electrolyte. The implementation of external potential bias led to the formation of an oxyhydroxide intermediate and a disordered-spinel phase. The interactions of iron clusters with cobalt oxide at the phase boundaries were found to be beneficial to enhance the charge transfer of the cobalt oxide and boost the overall OER activity by reaching a Faradaic efficiency of up to 96%. All in all, the post-reduction and phase segregation of cobalt iron oxide play an important role as a precatalyst for the OER.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eko Budiyanto
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Soma Salamon
- Faculty
of Physics and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg, Germany
| | - Yue Wang
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Heiko Wende
- Faculty
of Physics and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg, Germany
| | - Harun Tüysüz
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yu M, Budiyanto E, Tüysüz H. Principles of Water Electrolysis and Recent Progress in Cobalt‐, Nickel‐, and Iron‐Based Oxides for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202103824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mingquan Yu
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis Max-Planck-Institute für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| | - Eko Budiyanto
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis Max-Planck-Institute für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| | - Harun Tüysüz
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis Max-Planck-Institute für Kohlenforschung Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Budiyanto E, Zerebecki S, Weidenthaler C, Kox T, Kenmoe S, Spohr E, DeBeer S, Rüdiger O, Reichenberger S, Barcikowski S, Tüysüz H. Impact of Single-Pulse, Low-Intensity Laser Post-Processing on Structure and Activity of Mesostructured Cobalt Oxide for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:51962-51973. [PMID: 34323466 PMCID: PMC8587604 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c08034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we report nanosecond, single-pulse laser post-processing (PLPP) in a liquid flat jet with precise control of the applied laser intensity to tune structure, defect sites, and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of mesostructured Co3O4. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are consistent with the formation of cobalt vacancies at tetrahedral sites and an increase in the lattice parameter of Co3O4 after the laser treatment. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) further reveal increased disorder in the structure and a slight decrease in the average oxidation state of the cobalt oxide. Molecular dynamics simulation confirms the surface restructuring upon laser post-treatment on Co3O4. Importantly, the defect-induced PLPP was shown to lower the charge transfer resistance and boost the oxygen evolution activity of Co3O4. For the optimized sample, a 2-fold increment of current density at 1.7 V vs RHE is obtained and the overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 decreases remarkably from 405 to 357 mV compared to pristine Co3O4. Post-mortem characterization reveals that the material retains its activity, morphology, and phase structure after a prolonged stability test.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eko Budiyanto
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
| | - Swen Zerebecki
- Technical
Chemistry I and Center of Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 7, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia 45141, Germany
| | - Claudia Weidenthaler
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
| | - Tim Kox
- Department
of Theoretical Chemistry, University of
Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 2, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia 45141, Germany
| | - Stephane Kenmoe
- Department
of Theoretical Chemistry, University of
Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 2, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia 45141, Germany
| | - Eckhard Spohr
- Department
of Theoretical Chemistry, University of
Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 2, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia 45141, Germany
| | - Serena DeBeer
- Max Planck
Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, Mülheim
an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
| | - Olaf Rüdiger
- Max Planck
Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Stiftstrasse 34-36, Mülheim
an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
| | - Sven Reichenberger
- Technical
Chemistry I and Center of Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 7, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia 45141, Germany
| | - Stephan Barcikowski
- Technical
Chemistry I and Center of Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstraße 7, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia 45141, Germany
| | - Harun Tüysüz
- Max-Planck-Institut
für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Yu M, Budiyanto E, Tüysüz H. Principles of Water Electrolysis and Recent Progress in Cobalt-, Nickel-, and Iron-Based Oxides for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 61:e202103824. [PMID: 34138511 PMCID: PMC9291824 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202103824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Water electrolysis that results in green hydrogen is the key process towards a circular economy. The supply of sustainable electricity and availability of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts are the main bottlenecks of the process for large‐scale production of green hydrogen. A broad range of OER electrocatalysts have been explored to decrease the overpotential and boost the kinetics of this sluggish half‐reaction. Co‐, Ni‐, and Fe‐based catalysts have been considered to be potential candidates to replace noble metals due to their tunable 3d electron configuration and spin state, versatility in terms of crystal and electronic structures, as well as abundance in nature. This Review provides some basic principles of water electrolysis, key aspects of OER, and significant criteria for the development of the catalysts. It provides also some insights on recent advances of Co‐, Ni‐, and Fe‐based oxides and a brief perspective on green hydrogen production and the challenges of water electrolysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingquan Yu
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institute für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Eko Budiyanto
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institute für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Harun Tüysüz
- Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institute für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| |
Collapse
|