MO_x/Rh Metallene with Energetic Interfaces as Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Durable Water Splitting

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing efficient and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts for alkaline water splitting is crucial for clean energy technologies.
• Current catalysts often face challenges in activity, stability, and cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize ultrathin metal oxide/rhodium (MOx/Rh) metallene heterostructures for enhanced alkaline water splitting.
• To investigate the interfacial effects and catalytic mechanisms of these novel heterostructures.

Main Methods:

• Atmosphere-controlled solvothermal synthesis was employed to create uniform MOx nanoclusters on Rh metallene.
• Electrochemical characterization was performed to evaluate bifunctional activity and durability for overall water splitting.
• Mechanistic studies, including DFT calculations, were used to understand the role of the interface and electronic coupling.

Main Results:

• The FeOx/Rh catalyst exhibited superior bifunctional activity, achieving 1.53 V for overall water splitting at 10 mA cm-2 with robust durability.
• Optimized interfaces between FeOx and Rh significantly accelerated the kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction.
• FeOx promoted water dissociation, while electronically modulated Rh optimized hydrogen adsorption.

Conclusions:

• Interfacial engineering of MOx/Rh heterostructures is a viable strategy for developing high-performance electrocatalysts.
• This approach enables efficient solar-driven hydrogen production, offering a new paradigm for catalyst design.