Revealing the role of double-layer microenvironments in pH-dependent oxygen reduction activity over metal-nitrogen-carbon catalysts.

ABSTRACT: A standing puzzle in electrochemistry is that why the metal-nitrogen-carbon catalysts generally exhibit dramatic activity drop for oxygen reduction when traversing from alkaline to acid. Here, taking FeCo-N₆-C double-atom catalyst as a model system and combining the ab initio molecular dynamics simulation and in situ surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy, we show that it is the significantly distinct interfacial double-layer structures, rather than the energetics of multiple reaction steps, that cause the pH-dependent oxygen reduction activity on metal-nitrogen-carbon catalysts. Specifically, the greatly disparate charge densities on electrode surfaces render different orientations of interfacial water under alkaline and acid oxygen reduction conditions, thereby affe

SUBMITTER: Li P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10618200 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature