Cited by 427Electrocatalysts for Energy ConversionCatalytic Processes in Materials ScienceCO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts

Iridium single atoms incorporated in Co3O4 efficiently catalyze the oxygen evolution in acidic conditions

Open access
Zhu, Yiming, Wang, Jiaao, Koketsu, Toshinari, Kroschel, Matthias, Chen, Jin-Ming, Hsu, Su-Yang, Henkelman, Graeme, Hu, Zhiwei +2 more·2022·Nature Communications

Abstract

Abstract Designing active and stable electrocatalysts with economic efficiency for acidic oxygen evolution reaction is essential for developing proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. Herein, we report on a cobalt oxide incorporated with iridium single atoms (Ir-Co 3 O 4 ), prepared by a mechanochemical approach. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that Ir atoms are partially oxidized to active Ir >4+ during the reaction, meanwhile Ir and Co atoms with their bridged electrophilic O ligands acting as active sites, are jointly responsible for the enhanced performance. Theoretical calculations further disclose the isolated Ir atoms can effectively boost the electronic conductivity and optimize the energy barrier. As a result, Ir-Co 3 O 4 exhibits significantly higher mass activity and turnover frequency than those of benchmark IrO 2 in acidic conditions. Moreover, the catalyst preparation can be easily scaled up to gram-level per batch. The present approach highlights the concept of constructing single noble metal atoms incorporated cost-effective metal oxides catalysts for practical applications.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41467-022-35426-8

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  • Electron transfer occurs from Co atoms to Ir atoms in the Ir7Co3 aerogel.

    “It suggests that there is somewhat electron transfer occurring from the Co atoms to the Ir atoms in the Ir7Co3 aerogel.”

    From Co@Ir core–shell nanochain aerogels for the hydrogen evolution reaction and the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media (2024) · cites this paper as [36]

    In Results, ‘Mechanistic insights into OER process’ (page unavailable), the paper studies Ir single atoms in Co3O4, not an Ir7Co3 aerogel. Its charge-density analysis says Ir tends to lose electrons, with electrons accumulating around adjacent Ir–O bonds—contrary to the claimed transfer from Co atoms to Ir atoms. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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1 of the 74 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [3]Seitz LC A highly active and stable IrOX/SrIrO3 catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction Science 2016 353 1011 1014 27701108
  2. [11]Xiao Z Operando identification of the dynamic behavior of oxygen vacancy-rich Co3O4 for oxygen evolution reaction J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020 142 12087 12095 32538073
  3. [59]Lu Y Tuning the selective adsorption site of biomass on Co3O4 by Ir single atoms for electrosynthesis Adv. Mater. 2021 33 2007056 33470476

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Authors
Zhu, Y., Wang, J., Koketsu, T., Kroschel, M., Chen, J.-M., Hsu, S.-Y., Henkelman, G., Hu, Z., Strasser, P., & Ma, J.
Affiliations
  • Tongji University (CN)
  • The University of Texas at Austin (US)
  • Technische Universität Berlin (DE)
  • National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (TW)
  • Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Hu, Zhiwei
  • Strasser, Peter
  • Ma, Jiwei
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2022-12-14
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
7754-7754
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4311441455
Cited by
420
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 98 · 2025: 140 · 2024: 128 · 2023: 54
FWCI
14.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DepositOnce (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Technische Universität Berlin – Universitätsbibliothek (cc-by)
Funders
  • Welch Foundation (F-1841)
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (STR 596/11-1)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (22179098)
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (H2Giga)
  • Pohang University of Science and Technology
  • Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Catalytic Processes in Materials Science
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
Keywords
iridium single atoms, Co3O4, oxygen evolution reaction, acidic electrocatalysts, mechanochemical synthesis, proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, electronic conductivity, energy barrier, mass activity, turnover frequency

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