Tailoring Octahedron-Tetrahedron Synergism in Spinel Catalysts for Acidic Water Electrolysis

The instability issues of oxide-based electrocatalysts during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under acidic conditions, caused by the oxidation and dissolution of the catalysts along with the current-capacitance effect, constrain their application in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). To address these challenges, we tailored the spinel structure of Co3O4 and exploited the synergism between the tetrahedron and octahedron sites by partially substituting Co with Ni and Ru (denoted as NiRuCoOx), respectively. Such a catalyst design creates a Ru–O–Ni electronic coupling effect, facilitating a direct dioxygen radical-coupled OER pathway. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations and in situ…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 22202037, 22472023, 22102105
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2021YFA1500403
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

  Awards: 2412023QD019, 2412024QD014
• JS
  Jilin Scientific and Technological Development Program

  Award: 20240101192JC