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Transition metal tailored δ-MnO2 with optimized charge compensation for enhanced hydrogen evolution
Juyin Liu1, Zhipeng Li1, Jianze Chen1
1School of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, 010051, China. zhang_xin2007@imut.edu.cn.
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
|June 16, 2025
Summary
Transition metals like Ni, Cu, and Zn enhance manganese dioxide
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Layered manganese dioxide (δ-MnO2) shows promise for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
- Poor conductivity and limited active sites hinder its efficiency.
- Optimizing δ-MnO2 requires strategies to improve electron transfer and intermediate adsorption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the electrocatalytic activity of δ-MnO2 for HER.
- To investigate the effect of transition metal doping (Ni, Cu, Zn) on δ-MnO2's electronic structure and catalytic performance.
- To provide theoretical guidance for designing improved transition metal oxide catalysts.
Main Methods:
- One-step hydrothermal synthesis of X-MO/NF (X = Ni, Cu, Zn) electrocatalytic systems.
- In situ growth of δ-MnO2 on nickel foam (NF) with transition metal introduction.
- Electrochemical characterization and theoretical calculations (DFT).
Main Results:
- Transition metal doping induced oxygen vacancies and unsaturated Mn3+ sites, optimizing electronic structure.
- Ni-MO/NF, Cu-MO/NF, and Zn-MO/NF achieved low overpotentials of 145 mV, 131 mV, and 115 mV at 10 mA cm-2, respectively.
- Doping reduced hydrogen adsorption free energy and accelerated surface reaction kinetics, with varying enhancement degrees.
Conclusions:
- Transition metal doping effectively regulates the coordination environment and electronic structure of δ-MnO2.
- This strategy significantly enhances HER catalytic activity.
- The findings offer new insights into optimizing transition metal oxide catalysts for energy applications.
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