Improving Renewable Energy

 


Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an important process in renewable energy technology. 

A group of international researchers have enhanced this technology. The scientists introduced rare earth single atoms into manganese oxide. (MnO2). The team was able to modulate oxygen electronic states. 

This led to huge improvements in OER’s capabilities! 

The research was published in the journal Nano Energy.

Transition based metal oxides are used for their potential as OER catalysts. The catalyst are restricted by the adsorbate evolution mechanism. It limits the release of oxygen during the reaction period. 

Hao Li is an associate professor at the Advanced Institute for materials research (WPI-AIMR) at Tohoku University. 

He reports “ We constructed localized asymmetric gadolinium-oxygen-manganese units on MnO2,  which helps accumulate electrons at oxygen sites. By doing this, the catalyst achieve a lower over all potential and maintains stability overtime, making a suitable alternative to traditional catalyst, such as ruthenium dioxide (RuO2).” 

Hao Li and his team used argon plasma assisted methods to place rare earth elements onto the surface of the catalyst. This ionizes the argon gas. It energizes and helps break the argon atoms into ions and electrons. Therefore, it makes it easier to work with and modify.

Di Zhang is an assistant professor at WPI-AIMR. He states, “We have addressed the challenges associated with the adsorbate evolution mechanism that limits the performance of transition-metal based oxides like MnO2. By improving the understanding of the structure activity relationship under the lattice, oxygen mechanism, the research provides a foundation for more effective catalyst design.”

The team will turn their attention to electrochemical reactions. 

The new technique will help further unique structure activity and will make even greater reacting electrocatalysts! 


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