Oxygen-evolving catalytic atoms on metal carbides

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are crucial in various reactions.
• Heteroatom coordination in traditional SACs influences electronic structure and activity.
• Novel support materials are needed to optimize SACs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel SAC for oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
• To investigate the effect of tungsten carbide (WCx) supports on SACs.
• To understand the mechanism of OER catalysis on WCx-supported SACs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of FeNi single-atom catalysts on WCx supports.
• Electrochemical characterization of the catalyst for OER performance.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the catalytic mechanism.

Main Results:

• FeNi SACs on WCx exhibit weak metal-support interaction without heteroatom coordination.
• Achieved low OER overpotential (237 mV at 10 mA cm⁻²) and high turnover frequency (4.96 s⁻¹).
• Demonstrated excellent stability over 1,000 hours of operation.

Conclusions:

• WCx is a promising support for developing highly active and stable SACs.
• Weak metal-support interaction on WCx enhances OER performance.
• This approach offers a new strategy for designing advanced electrocatalysts.