@article{247c964caaa243a2b0eedd085078bbb9,
title = "A Surface-Oxide-Rich Activation Layer (SOAL) on Ni2Mo3N for a Rapid and Durable Oxygen Evolution Reaction",
abstract = "The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is key to renewable energy technologies such as water electrolysis and metal–air batteries. However, the multiple steps associated with proton-coupled electron transfer result in sluggish OER kinetics and catalysts are required. Here we demonstrate that a novel nitride, Ni2Mo3N, is a highly active OER catalyst that outperforms the benchmark material RuO2. Ni2Mo3N exhibits a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a nominal overpotential of 270 mV in 0.1 m KOH with outstanding catalytic cyclability and durability. Structural characterization and computational studies reveal that the excellent activity stems from the formation of a surface-oxide-rich activation layer (SOAL). Secondary Mo atoms on the surface act as electron pumps that stabilize oxygen-containing species and facilitate the continuity of the reactions. This discovery will stimulate the further development of ternary nitrides with oxide surface layers as efficient OER catalysts for electrochemical energy devices.",
keywords = "electrocatalysis, oxygen evolution reaction, ternary nitrides, Zn–air batteries",
author = "Yao Yuan and Samira Adimi and Xuyun Guo and Tiju Thomas and Ye Zhu and Haichuan Guo and Priyanga, {G. Sudha} and Pilsun Yoo and Jiacheng Wang and Jian Chen and Peilin Liao and Attfield, {J. Paul} and Minghui Yang",
note = "Funding Information: This work is supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21471147) and National Key Research and Development Plan (Grant No. 2016YFB0101205). X.G. and Y.Z. thank the Hong Kong Research Grants Council through the Early Career Scheme (project No. 25301617) for financial support. M.Y. would like to thank the National ?Thousand Youth Talents? program of China and Ningbo 3315 program for support. J.P.A. thanks EPSRC for support. T.T. thanks DST of India for financial support for work on energy harnessing (via DSEHC) and energy storage and conversion (via MES). P.L. would like to acknowledge the Donors of the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund for support of the computational research. X.G. and Y.Z. thank Dr. Wei Lu for optimizing the JEOL JEM-2100F microscope in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",
year = "2020",
month = oct,
day = "5",
doi = "10.1002/ange.202008116",
language = "English",
volume = "59",
pages = "18036--18041",
journal = "Angewandte Chemie - International Edition",
issn = "1433-7851",
publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",
number = "41",
}
