Work

Se-doped MnO 2 as a low-cost and high-efficiency catalyst for acidic oxygen evolution reaction

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Developing acid-stable manganese-based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal for advancing proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). Here, we present a selenium-doped MnO2 catalyst, where the synergistic effects of Se and oxygen defects stabilize Mn3+ species and regulate *OH adsorption dynamics. In situ spectroscopic studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that Se doping modulates the electronic structure of Mn centers, lowering the energy barrier for *OH deprotonation and accelerating OER kinetics. In 0.5 M H2SO4, Se-MnO2 achieves current densities of 10 and 100 mA·cm−2 with overpotentials of 345 ± 5 and 398 ± 5 mV, respectively, outperforming commercial RuO2. Integrated into PEM electrolyzers, the catalyst demonstrates exceptional stability over 400 h under dynamic current densities (100–500 mA·cm−2), showcasing structural integrity and negligible activity decay. The strategic doping of selenium significantly enhances catalytic performance, thereby offering a promising pathway toward the development of cost-effective electrocatalysts for applications under acidic conditions.

Source: Nano Research

DOI: 10.26599/nr.2025.94907912

Authors: Sanjiang Pan, Shenao Wang, Zishuo Xie, Hang Li, Yang Fu, Desong Wang

Institutions: Yanshan University, State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion

Subfield: Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

Field: Energy

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $5,290