Increased Readiness for Water Splitting: NiO-InducedWeakening of Bonds in Water Molecules as Possible Causeof Ultra-Low Oxygen Evolution Potential
- The development of non-precious metal-based electrodes that actively and stably support the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water electrolysis systems remains a challenge, especially at low pH levels. The recently published study has conclusively shown that the addition of haematite to H2 SO4 is a highly effective method of significantly reducing oxygen evolution overpotential and extending anode life. The far superior result is achieved by concentrating oxygen evolution centres on the oxide particles rather than on the electrode. However, unsatisfactory Faradaic efficiencies of the OER and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) parts as well as the required high haematite load impede applicability and upscaling of this process. Here it is shown that the same performance is achieved with three times less metal oxide powder if NiO/H2 SO4 suspensions are used along with stainless steel anodes. The reason for the enormous improvement in OER performance by adding NiO to the electrolyte is the weakening of the intramolecular O─H bond in the water molecules, which is under the direct influence of the nickel oxide suspended in the electrolyte. The manipulation of bonds in water molecules to increase the tendency of the water to split is a ground-breaking development, as shown in this first example.
Author: | Tom Bookholt, Xian Qin, Bettina Lilli, Dirk Enke, Marten Huck, Danni Balkenhohl, Klara Rüwe, Julia Brune, Johann P. Klare, Karsten Küpper, Anja Schuster, Jenrik Bergjan, Martin Steinhart, Harald Gröger, Diemo DaumORCiD, Helmut Schäfer |
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Title (English): | Increased Readiness for Water Splitting: NiO-InducedWeakening of Bonds in Water Molecules as Possible Causeof Ultra-Low Oxygen Evolution Potential |
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bsz:959-opus-56926 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202310665 |
Parent Title (English): | Small |
Document Type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2024/02/22 |
Release Date: | 2024/04/05 |
Article Number: | 2310665 |
Page Number: | 14 |
Faculties: | Fakultät AuL |
DDC classes: | 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 540 Chemie |
Review Status: | Veröffentlichte Fassung/Verlagsversion |
Licence (German): | Creative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |