Oxygen evolution reaction dynamics monitored by an individual nanosheet-based electronic circuit

The oxygen evolution reaction involves complex interplay among electrolyte, solid catalyst, and gas-phase and liquid-phase reactants and products. Monitoring catalysis interfaces between catalyst and electrolyte can provide valuable insights into catalytic ability. But it is a challenging task due to the additive solid supports in traditional measurement. Here we design a nanodevice platform and combine on-chip electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement, temporary I-V measurement of an individual nanosheet, and molecular dynamic calculations to provide a direct way for nanoscale catalytic diagnosis. By removing O₂ in electrolyte, a dramatic decrease in Tafel slope of over 20% and early onset potential of 1.344 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode are achieved. Our studies reveal that O₂ reduces hydroxyl ion density at catalyst interface, resulting in poor kinetics and negative catalytic performance. The obtained in-depth understanding could provide valuable clues for catalysis system design. Our method could also be useful to analyze other catalytic processes.Electrocatalysis offers important opportunities for clean fuel production, but uncovering the chemistry at the electrode surface remains a challenge. Here, the authors exploit a single-nanosheet electrode to perform in-situ measurements of water oxidation electrocatalysis and reveal a crucial interaction with oxygen.