High Performance Fluorine Doped Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) Electro-Catalysts for PEM Based Water Electrolysis

Identification of electro-catalysts containing non noble metal or significantly reduced amounts of expensive noble metals (e. g. RuO₂) is highly desirable. Development of such a catalyst with comparable electrochemical performance to the standard noble metal oxide counterpart for the proton exchange membrane (PEM) based water electrolysis would constitute a major advancement in generation of hydrogen by water electrolysis. We have accordingly developed a two-pronged theoretical first principles and experimental approach to generate a nano-structured solid solution of SnO₂:10wt.% F containing only 20at.% RuO₂ [e.g. (Sn_0.80Ru_0.20)O₂:10F] that displays a remarkably similar electrochemical activity and moreover, comparable or even much improved electrochemical stability and durability compared to pure the noble metal counterpart, RuO₂. Results of these studies will be presented and discussed.