Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation: An Overview With an Example of Translation From Lab to Market

Abstract

Water oxidation has become very popular due to its prime role in water splitting and metal–air batteries. Thus, the development of efficient, abundant, and economical catalysts, as well as electrode design, is very demanding today. In this review, we have discussed the principles of electrocatalytic water oxidation reaction (WOR), the electrocatalyst and electrode design strategies for the most efficient results, and recent advancement in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst design. Finally, we have discussed the use of OER in the Oxygen Maker (OM) design with the example of OM REDOX by Solaire Initiative Private Ltd. The review clearly summarizes the future directions and applications for sustainable energy utilization with the help of water splitting and the way forward to develop better cell designs with electrodes and catalysts for practical applications. We hope this review will offer a basic understanding of the OER process and WOR in general along with the standard parameters to evaluate the performance and encourage more WOR-based profound innovations to make their way from the lab to the market following the example of OM REDOX.

Electrochemical Performance Evaluation of Bimetallic Sulfide Nanocomposite with Fullerene (CeNdS/C60) for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER)

“…Interestingly, the electrocatalytic activity is usually evaluated by using important key factors: (i) apparent total electrode performances, i.e., it can be described through geometric current density/overpotential, j and η (expressed in units of mA cm –2 and mV, respectively) and (ii) intrinsic catalytic activity such as turnover frequency (TOF), which can be expressed in units of s –1 . In addition, the role of electron transfer in each catalytic site is regarded as one of the key components for electrochemical water splitting. − …”

On the Temperature Sensitivity of Electrochemical Reaction Thermodynamics

“…33−35 Although the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the canonical anodic half reaction in water splitting, researchers often seek value-adding alternatives to this anodic counterpart since this process generates unneeded O 2 and contributes significantly to efficiency losses due to sluggish kinetics. 36,37 However, the 2e − pathway of H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis from water has recently gained attention as a green and cost-effective alternative to the multistep anthraquinone autoxidation process, the current method to produce hydrogen peroxide industrially. Anthraquinone autoxidation is costly and imposes safety risks due to the generation of highly concentrated aqueous H 2 O 2 .…”

“…Abiotic versions of the water oxidation reactions using electricity and catalysts can occur through a 4e – transfer pathway to produce oxygen or through 2e – oxidation (eq ) of water to hydrogen peroxide (eq ). − Although the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the canonical anodic half reaction in water splitting, researchers often seek value-adding alternatives to this anodic counterpart since this process generates unneeded O 2 and contributes significantly to efficiency losses due to sluggish kinetics. , However, the 2e – pathway of H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis from water has recently gained attention as a green and cost-effective alternative to the multistep anthraquinone autoxidation process, the current method to produce hydrogen peroxide industrially. Anthraquinone autoxidation is costly and imposes safety risks due to the generation of highly concentrated aqueous H 2 O 2 . ,, In terms of thermodynamics, the electrochemical production of H 2 O 2 from water is unfavorable due to complications with H 2 O 2 overoxidation to O 2 at low electrode potentials. ,, Both forms of water oxidation described in eqs and have positive temperature sensitivities, becoming slightly more favorable at higher temperatures.…”

Phosphorus based hybrid materials for green fuel generation

“…In electrocatalytic dissociation, electrical power is needed to dissociate the water molecules into hydrogen at cathode side and oxygen at the anode side in presence of acid or base or salt (Lee et al, 2022; Raza et al, 2022; Sen et al, 2022). In acidic medium, when pH <7, redox reaction towards H 2 generation boosts due to the excess H + ions.…”