Affiliation:
1. State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals Frontier Science Center for Smart Materials School of Chemical Engineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024 China
2. Center of Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels and Department of Chemistry School of Science and Research Center for Industries of the Future Westlake University Hangzhou 310024 China
Abstract
AbstractThe abundant, active, and acidic‐stable catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are rare to proton exchange membrane‐based water electrolysis. Mn‐based materials show promise as electrocatalysts for OER in acid electrolytes. However, the relationship between the stability, activity and structure of Mn‐based catalysts in acidic environments remains unclear. In this study, phase‐pure MnSb2O6 was successfully prepared and investigated as a catalyst for OER in a sulfuric acid solution (pH of 2.0). A comprehensive mechanistic comparison between MnSb2O6 and Mn3O4 revealed that the rate‐determining step for OER on MnSb2O6 is the direct formation of MnIV=O from MnII−H2O by the 2H+/2e− process. This process avoids the rearrangement of adjacent MnIII intermediates, leading to outstanding stability and activity.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
National Key Research and Development Program of China
Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities