1
|
Marelli E, Lyu J, Morin M, Leménager M, Shang T, Yüzbasi NS, Aegerter D, Huang J, Daffé ND, Clark AH, Sheptyakov D, Graule T, Nachtegaal M, Pomjakushina E, Schmidt TJ, Krack M, Fabbri E, Medarde M. Cobalt-free layered perovskites RBaCuFeO 5+δ (R = 4f lanthanide) as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. EES Catal 2024; 2:335-350. [PMID: 38222064 PMCID: PMC10782807 DOI: 10.1039/d3ey00142c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Co-based perovskite oxides are intensively studied as promising catalysts for electrochemical water splitting in an alkaline environment. However, the increasing Co demand by the battery industry is pushing the search for Co-free alternatives. Here we report a systematic study of the Co-free layered perovskite family RBaCuFeO5+δ (R = 4f lanthanide), where we uncover the existence of clear correlations between electrochemical properties and several physicochemical descriptors. Using a combination of advanced neutron and X-ray synchrotron techniques with ab initio DFT calculations we demonstrate and rationalize the positive impact of a large R ionic radius in their oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. We also reveal that, in these materials, Fe3+ is the transition metal cation the most prone to donate electrons. We also show that similar R3+/Ba2+ ionic radii favor the incorporation and mobility of oxygen in the layered perovskite structure and increase the number of available O diffusion paths, which have an additional, positive impact on both, the electric conductivity and the OER process. An unexpected result is the observation of a clear surface reconstruction exclusively in oxygen-rich samples (δ > 0), a fact that could be related to their superior OER activity. The encouraging intrinsic OER values obtained for the most active electrocatalyst (LaBaCuFeO5.49), together with the possibility of industrially producing this material in nanocrystalline form should inspire the design of other Co-free oxide catalysts with optimal properties for electrochemical water splitting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Marelli
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Jike Lyu
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Mickaël Morin
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
- Excelsus Structural Solutions (Swiss) AG, PARK InnovAARE CH-5234 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Maxime Leménager
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Tian Shang
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
- Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University Shanghai China
| | - N Sena Yüzbasi
- High Performance Ceramics, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology CH-8600 Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Dino Aegerter
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Jinzhen Huang
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Niéli D Daffé
- Laboratory for Condensed Matter, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Adam H Clark
- Laboratory for Synchrotron Radiation and Femtochemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Denis Sheptyakov
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Thomas Graule
- High Performance Ceramics, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology CH-8600 Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Maarten Nachtegaal
- Laboratory for Synchrotron Radiation and Femtochemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Ekaterina Pomjakushina
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Thomas J Schmidt
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, ETH Zürich CH-8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Matthias Krack
- Laboratory for Materials Simulations, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Emiliana Fabbri
- Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Marisa Medarde
- Laboratory for Multiscale Materials Experiments, Paul Scherrer Institut CH-5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|