Alkaline Water Oxidation Using a Bimetallic Phospho-Boride Electrocatalyst.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Global application of water electrolysis necessitates highly active, low-cost electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
• Existing OER catalysts often rely on expensive noble metals, limiting large-scale implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, cost-effective bimetallic catalyst for enhanced OER performance in alkaline water electrolysis.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of phospho-boride composition and molybdenum doping on catalytic activity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a bimetallic phospho-boride catalyst with controlled composition.
• Electrochemical characterization of the catalyst's OER activity in alkaline media.
• Analysis of catalyst structure and electronic properties to understand performance enhancement.

Main Results:

• The developed catalyst achieved an OER activity of ~195 mV to reach 10 mA cm⁻² at a low loading of 0.3 mg cm⁻².
• The bimetallic structure modulated cobalt electron density, forming highly active CoOOH species.
• Molybdenum addition further boosted activity by increasing surface area and forming nano-crystalline domains, achieving a benchmark mass activity of 666 A g⁻¹ at 300 mV.

Conclusions:

• The novel bimetallic phospho-boride catalyst demonstrates exceptional OER performance, setting a new benchmark for low-cost electrocatalysts.
• This work offers a promising strategy for fabricating advanced electrode materials for efficient water electrolysis and sustainable hydrogen production.