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Accelerating Proton Transfer via Tetrahydroxy-1,4-Benzoquinone Intercalation for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Shu-Yu Wang¹, Wei-Xiao Liu¹, Rui Wang¹

¹Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Qingdao Perovskite Photovoltaic and Application Engineering Research Center, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Shandong Provincial University-Industry Collaborative Innovation Center for Perovskite Solar Photovoltaic Technology and Application, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, P.R. China.

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|May 28, 2026

Summary

Tetrahydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone (THQ) insertion into NiFeOOH accelerates proton transfer, boosting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. This strategy enhances catalytic activity and stability, crucial for efficient electrocatalysis.

Keywords:

NiFeOOH electron transfer ligand regulation proton transfer tetrahydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone

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Area of Science:

Electrochemistry
Materials Science
Catalysis

Background:

Slow proton transfer in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) hinders kinetics and causes active site corrosion.
This limits catalytic activity and stability, particularly at high current densities.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop an electrocatalyst with expedited proton removal for enhanced OER.
To investigate the role of tetrahydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone (THQ) as a proton transfer relay in NiFeOOH.

Main Methods:

One-step hydrothermal synthesis of THQ-inserted NiFeOOH (NiFeOOH/THQ).
Characterization of catalyst structure and electrochemical performance, including overpotential and Tafel slope measurements.

Main Results:

NiFeOOH/THQ demonstrated significantly enhanced OER activity with a lower overpotential (260 mV at 100 mA cm⁻²) compared to NiFeOOH (320 mV).
The catalyst exhibited accelerated OER kinetics (Tafel slope of 22.98 mV dec⁻¹) and remarkable stability, operating for 250 hours at 100 mA cm⁻².
THQ acted as an electron-withdrawing ligand, reducing electron density at active sites and facilitating proton transfer.

Conclusions:

THQ insertion effectively mitigates sluggish proton transfer and local acid corrosion in OER electrocatalysts.
The NiFeOOH/THQ catalyst shows superior activity and stability due to improved electron/proton transfer regulation and robust active sites.
This work presents a novel ligand intercalation strategy for designing advanced electrocatalysts with facilitated proton neutralization.