A sole
inorganic framework material [Li(H2O)4][{CuI(H2O)1.5} {CuII(H2O)3}2{WVI
12O36(OH)6}]·N2·H2S·3H2O (1) consisting of a hydroxylated
polyoxometalate (POM) anion, {WVI
12O36(OH)6}6–, a mixed-valent Cu(II)–
and Cu(I)–aqua cationic complex species, [{CuI(H2O)1.5}{CuII(H2O)3}2]5+, a Li(I)-aqua complex cation, and three
solvent molecules, has been synthesized and structurally characterized.
During its synthesis, the POM cluster anion gets functionalized with
six hydroxyl groups, i.e., six WVI–OH groups per
cluster unit. Moreover, structural and spectral analyses have shown
the presence of H2S and N2 molecules in the
concerned crystal lattice, formed from “sulfate-reducing ammonium
oxidation (SRAO)”. Compound 1 functions as a bifunctional
electrocatalyst exhibiting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by water
oxidation and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by water reduction
at the neutral pH. We could identify that the hydroxylated POM anion
and copper-aqua complex cations are the functional sites for HER and
OER, respectively. The overpotential, required to achieve a current
density of 1 mA/cm2 in the case of HER (water reduction),
is found to be 443 mV with a Faradaic efficiency of 92% and a turnover
frequency of 4.66 s–1. In the case of OER (water
oxidation), the overpotential needed to achieve a current density
of 1 mA/cm2 is obtained to be 418 mV with a Faradaic efficiency
of 88% and turnover frequency of 2.81 s–1. Diverse
electrochemical controlled experiments have been performed to conclude
that the title POM-based material functions as a true bifunctional
catalyst for electrocatalytic HER as well as OER at the neutral pH
without catalyst reconstruction.