Surface charge modulation boosts electrocatalytic water splitting over iridium catalysts on a polyimide support
Longsheng Zhang1, Shouhan Zhang1, Jing Bai1
1Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China. txliu@jiangnan.edu.cn.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|June 14, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a novel catalyst using iridium nanoparticles on a polyimide support for efficient acidic oxygen evolution reactions (OER). The polyimide enhances iridium
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Developing efficient catalysts for the acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is crucial for energy applications.
- Minimizing the use of precious metals like iridium (Ir) in OER catalysts is an ongoing challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance OER catalyst using minimal iridium.
- To investigate the role of a polyimide support in enhancing OER activity.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of iridium nanoparticles supported on a polyimide material.
- Electrochemical characterization of the catalyst's performance in acidic media.
Main Results:
- The iridium/polyimide catalyst demonstrated high performance for the oxygen evolution reaction.
- The polyimide support modulated the electronic structure of iridium, lowering thermodynamic barriers.
- The support also increased local proton concentration, boosting OER rates.
Conclusions:
- The developed iridium/polyimide catalyst offers a promising solution for efficient and cost-effective acidic OER.
- Polyimide supports can be effectively utilized to enhance the activity of precious metal catalysts.
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