Perovskite Materials in Electrocatalysis

Abstract

Electrocatalysis-based technologies are central to enabling the vision of a sustainable energy future. One major challenge is to develop nonprecious, high-efficient electrocatalysts that can promote the electrocatalytic processes. Perovskite materials have recently been extensively studied as alternative electrocatalysts to noble metal-based materials owing to their low cost, tunable structure, and high catalytic activity. This chapter discusses perovskite materials in electrocatalysis for several important reactions, including the oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, and hydrogen evolution reaction. The electrocatalytic mechanisms are first introduced to offer a fundamental understanding of the electrocatalysis occurring on the surface of perovskite catalysts. Following this is a detailed description of the rational design of perovskite materials toward efficient electrocatalysis. Several activity descriptors for theoretically guiding the catalyst design are presented while many other practical parameters that can influence the catalyst behavior are also highlighted. In addition, concerns for the catalyst stability under realistic electrochemical conditions are expressed. In an effort to realize global energy sustainability, several key applications of perovskite materials in electrocatalysis-related energy devices, for example, metal–air batteries and water electrolyzers, are presented, with an emphasis on how to enable the widespread penetration of these energy technologies.