Half-ordered bisymmetry breaking induced by spin-orbit-coupling-dependent alternating atomic hybridization accelerate...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing non-noble metal oxide catalysts for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is crucial for sustainable energy technologies.
• Current catalysts often fall short of the performance and stability of noble metal-based counterparts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel non-noble metal oxide catalyst with enhanced activity and stability for acidic OER.
• To investigate the role of magnetic sites and atomic hybridization in modulating catalytic performance.

Main Methods:

• Leveraging crystal field theory and site occupancy preferences to introduce magnetic sites into Co3O4.
• Synthesizing a modified spinel-structured catalyst (Co4Fe2MnOx) with alternating atomic hybridization.
• Characterizing the catalyst's structure, electronic properties, and electrochemical performance.

Main Results:

• The spin-electron state modulated Co4Fe2MnOx catalyst exhibited a significantly reduced OER overpotential (by 240 mV) compared to Co3O4.
• The catalyst demonstrated excellent stability, operating for over 300 hours at a high current density of 200 mA cm-2.
• Synergistic effects of magnetic sites and enhanced spin-orbit coupling facilitated fast charge transfer and lowered the reaction barrier.

Conclusions:

• The introduction of magnetic sites and controlled atomic hybridization offers a promising strategy for designing high-performance non-noble metal oxide catalysts for acidic OER.
• This approach provides new insights into catalyst design by modulating spin-electron states for improved energy conversion and storage applications.