Multi-Component Composite Oxides for Superior Oxygen Evolution Reaction Performance

Abstract

As a part of the effort for realize clean and renewable energy, substantial attentions are currently being paid to hydrogen generation. Of great interest is the electrocatalyst water splitting, one of the most effective ways to produce hydrogen. However, the hydrogen generation efficiency is still less than desirable due to the slow anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to primarily there are four electrons involved in the OER. Many multi-metal oxides have therefore been intensively investigated. In the paper, we report various novel oxide systems, each consisting of multiple metals for use as high performance OER electrocatalysts. The oxides were synthesized using a facile wet chemical method. The multi-metal oxides obtained include perovskite La(Mn1-xMx)O3, spinel (Fe,Co,M)3O4, and Fe5V15-xMxO39(OH)9 .9H2O, where M represents multiple metals. The material characteristics were examined using X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tunneling electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). Electrochemical properties were evaluated using Multi AUTOLAB M204. Leaner sweep voltammetry (LSV) was carried out in at 5 mV/s within a potential window of 0 to 0.8 V. Stability test was carried out at 100 mV/s for 3000 CV cycles within a potential window of 0 to 0.8V. Excellent catalytic performance is demonstrated.