Electron-Deficient Mn Sites Functionalized with Ag Nanoclusters Enable Selective and Durable Seawater Oxidation

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Direct seawater electrolysis faces challenges from chloride corrosion and oxidation.
• Anode material efficiency and durability are compromised by these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly efficient and corrosion-resistant electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution in alkaline seawater.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of boron incorporation and silver nanoclusters in a calcium-manganese borate framework.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Ag nanocluster-decorated calcium-manganese borate (AgNCs@Ca-MnB) nanosheets.
• Electrochemical characterization in alkaline seawater.
• Analysis of catalyst structure and electronic properties.

Main Results:

• AgNCs@Ca-MnB exhibits excellent performance with a low overpotential (≈310 mV at 10 mA cm⁻²) for oxygen evolution.
• The catalyst demonstrates exceptional operational stability exceeding 100 hours.
• Boron incorporation enhances Mn-O bond covalency and stabilizes the catalyst, while Ag nanoclusters selectively trap chloride ions.

Conclusions:

• The synergistic design of boron-induced electronic modulation and silver-mediated chloride immobilization provides a durable and selective seawater oxidation catalyst.
• This approach offers a promising new direction for designing advanced electrocatalysts for direct seawater electrolysis.