Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Growth and Electrostatic/chemical Properties of Metal/LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterostructures
Published on: February 8, 2018
Bulk-independent surface oxide composition controls the electrochemical performance of high-entropy alloys
Matthias Kogler1,2, Matteo Olgiati1,2, Markus Ostermann2
1Institute of Applied Physics, Vienna University of Technology 1040 Vienna Austria markus.valtiner@tuwien.ac.at christian.pichler@cest.at.
Abstract:
Multi-element alloys and high-entropy alloys show promising electrocatalytic behavior for water splitting and other catalytic reactions, due to their highly tunable composition. While preparation and synthesis of these materials are thoroughly investigated, the true reactive surface composition is still not well understood, as it may significantly differ from the bulk composition. Precise knowledge and understanding of resulting surface composition is crucial for effective control of the electrocatalytic performance. In this work, low energy ion scattering spectroscopy was applied to determine the surface oxide composition of a series of Ni-based multi-metallic alloys with Mn, Fe, Co, and Cr under alkaline, neutral and acidic conditions. The composition of the surface oxide was investigated with sub-nanometer depth resolution. In electrochemical tests, good catalytic activity was found for the oxygen evolution reaction, although a strong dependence on the selected reaction conditions was observed. The surface composition under OER conditions deviates significantly from the bulk composition. No significant benefit of high entropy alloying compared with binary or ternary alloys concerning catalytic OER performance was found.
Related Concept Videos
Alkali Metals
Table 1: Properties of the alkali metals
Corrosion
Properties of Organometallic Compounds
Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition can...
Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes
Corrosion of Reinforcement
However, over time and under certain conditions like carbonation, chloride ingress, and cracking this protective state can be compromised. Steel has areas with...

