Stability of metallo-porphyrin networks under oxygen reduction and evolution conditions in alkaline media

Transition metal atoms stabilised by organic ligands or as oxides exhibit promising catalytic activity for the electrocatalytic reduction and evolution of oxygen. Built-up from earth-abundant elements, they offer affordable alternatives to precious-metal based catalysts for application in fuel cells...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Hötger, Diana, Etzkorn, Markus, Morchutt, Claudius, Wurster, Benjamín, Dreiser, Jan, Stepanow, Sebastián, Grumelli, Doris Elda, Gutzler, Rico, Kern, Klaus
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/118881
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/118881
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:ELECTROCATALYISIS
MOLECULAR ASSEMBLY
STM
UHV
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.4
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:Transition metal atoms stabilised by organic ligands or as oxides exhibit promising catalytic activity for the electrocatalytic reduction and evolution of oxygen. Built-up from earth-abundant elements, they offer affordable alternatives to precious-metal based catalysts for application in fuel cells and electrolysers. For the understanding of a catalyst’s activity, insight into its structure on the atomic scale is of highest importance, yet commonly challenging to experimentally access. Here, the structural integrity of a bimetallic iron tetrapyridylporphyrin with co-adsorbed cobalt electrocatalyst on Au(111) is investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Topographic and spectroscopic characterization reveals structural changes of the molecular coordination network after oxygen reduction, and its decomposition and transformation into catalytically active Co/Fe (oxyhydr)oxide during oxygen evolution. The data establishes a structure–property relationship for the catalyst as a function of electrochemical potential and, in addition, highlights how the reaction direction of electrochemical interconversion between molecular oxygen and hydroxyl anions can have very different effects on the catalyst’s structure.