Unlocking Enhanced Catalysis Stability in Acidic Oxygen Evolution: Structural Insights for PEM Applications under...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) requires highly active and stable catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic media.
• Ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) is a promising OER catalyst, but its durability and efficiency need improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, highly efficient, and durable catalyst for the acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
• To investigate the impact of lanthanum doping on RuO2 nanorod catalysts for enhanced performance in PEMWE.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of La-doped RuO2 nanorod composite catalysts (La-RuO2@TM) on titanium mesh using a one-step low-temperature pyrolysis method.
• Electrocatalytic performance testing for OER in acidic conditions.
• Long-term stability testing of the catalyst.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the mechanism of enhanced durability.

Main Results:

• La-RuO2@TM catalysts demonstrated excellent OER performance (1.533 V at 100 mA cm⁻²).
• Exceptional stability was observed, with no significant degradation over 450 hours of operation.
• DFT calculations revealed that La-doping modulates intermediate adsorption, reduces Ru leaching, and minimizes oxygen loss, enhancing durability.
• A PEM electrolyzer using La-RuO2@TM operated at 1.815 V with 1.0 A cm⁻² and maintained stability for 120 hours at 60°C.

Conclusions:

• La-doped RuO2 nanorod composite catalysts offer a promising solution for efficient and durable acidic OER.
• The study provides insights into designing advanced catalysts for water electrolysis by understanding the role of doping and local structure.
• This work contributes to the advancement of materials for clean hydrogen production via PEMWE.