Tracking Structural Self-Reconstruction and Identifying True Active Sites toward Cobalt Oxychloride Precatalyst of Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Abstract

Unravelling the intrinsic mechanism of electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by use of heterogeneous catalysts is highly desirable to develop related energy conversion technologies. Albeit dynamic self-reconstruction of the catalysts during OER is extensively observed, it is still highly challenging to operando probe the reconstruction and precisely identify the true catalytically active components. Here, a new class of OER precatalyst, cobalt oxychloride (Co₂ (OH)₃ Cl) with unique features that allow a gradual phase reconstruction during OER due to the etching of lattice anion is demonstrated. The reconstruction continuously boosts OER activities. The reconstruction-derived component delivers remarkable performance in both alkaline and neutral electrolytes. Operando synchrotron radiation-based X-ray spectroscopic characterization together with density functional theory calculations discloses that the etching of lattice Cl^- serves as the key to trigger the reconstruction and the boosted catalytic performance roots in the atomic-level coordinatively unsaturated sites (CUS). This work establishes fundamental understanding on the OER mechanism associated with self-reconstruction of heterogeneous catalysts.