Coupling Transition Metal Catalysts with Ir for Enhanced Electrochemical Water Splitting Activity

Developing advanced electrocatalysts is of great significance for boosting electrochemical water splitting to produce hydrogen. The electrocatalytic activity of a catalyst is associated with the surface/interface, geometric structure, and electronic properties. Coupling Ir with transition metal compounds is an effective strategy to improve their electrocatalytic performance. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of Ir coupled transition metal compound catalysts for the application in driving electrochemical water splitting. The significant role of Ir played in the promotion of electrocatalytic performance is firstly illustrated. Then, the applications of Ir-based catalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are comprehensively discussed, with an emphasis on correlating the structure-function relationships. Lastly, the challenges and future directions for the fabrication of more advanced Ir coupled electrocatalysts are also presented.