Coordination modulation of iridium single-atom catalyst maximizing water oxidation activity.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 35013202.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-27664-z and PMC identifier 8748886.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted tremendous research interests in various energy-related fields because of their high activity, selectivity and 100% atom utilization. However, it is still a challenge to enhance the intrinsic and specific activity of SACs. Herein, we present an approach to fabricate a high surface distribution density of iridium (Ir) SAC on nickel-iron sulfide nanosheet arrays substrate (Ir<sub>1</sub>/NFS), which delivers a high water oxidation activity. The Ir<sub>1</sub>/NFS catalyst offers a low overpotential of ~170 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> and a high turnover frequency of 9.85 s<sup>-1</sup> at an overpotential of 300 mV in 1.0 M KOH solution. At the same time, the Ir<sub>1</sub>/NFS catalyst exhibits a high stability performance, reaching a lifespan up to 350 hours at a current density of 100 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>. First-principles calculations reveal that the electronic structures of Ir atoms are significantly regulated by the sulfide substrate, endowing an energetically favorable reaction pathway. This work represents a promising strategy to fabricate high surface distribution density single-atom catalysts with high activity and durability for electrochemical water splitting.