Abstract
For overall water-splitting systems, it is essential to establish O2-insensitive cathodes that allow cogeneration of H2 and O2. An acid-tolerant electrocatalyst is described, which employs a Mo-coating on a metal surface to achieve selective H2 evolution in the presence of O2. In operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy identified reduced Pt covered with an amorphous molybdenum oxyhydroxide hydrate with a local structural order composed of polyanionic trimeric units of molybdenum(IV). The Mo layer likely hinders O2 gas permeation, impeding contact with active Pt. Photocatalytic overall water splitting proceeded using MoOx/Pt/SrTiO3 with inhibited water formation from H2 and O2, which is the prevailing back reaction on the bare Pt/SrTiO3 photocatalyst. The Mo coating was stable in acidic media for multiple hours of overall water splitting by membraneless electrolysis and photocatalysis.
| Original language | British English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 5780-5784 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Angewandte Chemie - International Edition |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue number | 21 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 15 May 2017 |
Keywords
- electrocatalysis
- hydrogen evolution
- in operando XAS
- photocatalysis
- water splitting