Steffen Czioska

Bio: Steffen Czioska is an academic researcher from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Oxygen evolution & Catalysis. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 13 citations.

Phase- and Surface Composition-Dependent Electrochemical Stability of Ir-Ru Nanoparticles during Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract: The increasing scarcity of iridium (Ir) and its rutile-type oxide (IrO2), the current state-of-the-art oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts, is driving the transition toward the use of mixed Ir oxides with a highly active yet inexpensive metal (IrxM1−xO2). Ruthenium (Ru) has been commonly employed due to its high OER activity although its electrochemical stability in IrRu mixed oxide nanoparticles (IrxRu1−xO2 NPs), especially at high relative contents, is rarely evaluated for long-term application as water electrolyzers. In this work, we bridge the knowledge gap by performing a thorough study on the compositionand phase-dependent stability of welldefined IrxRu1−xO2 NPs prepared by flame spray pyrolysis under dynamic operating conditions. As-prepared NPs (IrxRu1−xOy) present an amorphous coral-like structure with a hydrous Ir-Ru oxide phase, which upon post-synthetic thermal treatment fully converts to a rutile-type structure followed by a selective Ir enrichment at the NP topmost surface. It was demonstrated that Ir incorporation into a RuO2 matrix drastically reduced Ru dissolution by ca. 10-fold at the expense of worsening Ir inherent stability, regardless of the oxide phase present. Hydrous IrxRu1−xOy NPs, however, were shown to be 1000-fold less stable than rutile-type IrxRu1−xO2, where the severe Ru leaching yielded a fast convergence toward the activity of monometallic hydrous IrOy. For rutiletype IrxRu1−xO2, the sequential start-up/shut-down OER protocol employed revealed a steady-state dissolution for both Ir and Ru, as well as the key role of surface Ru species in OER activity: minimal Ru surface losses (<1 at. %) yielded OER activities for tested Ir0.2Ru0.8O2 equivalent to those of untested Ir0.8Ru0.2O2. Ir enrichment at the NP topmost surface, which mitigates selective subsurface Ru dissolution, is identified as the origin of the NP stabilization. These results suggest Ru-rich IrxRu1−xO2 NPs to be viable electrocatalysts for long-term water electrolysis, with significant repercussions in cost reduction.

Increased Ir–Ir Interaction in Iridium Oxide during the Oxygen Evolution Reaction at High Potentials Probed by Operando Spectroscopy

Abstract: The structure of IrO$_{2}$ during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was studied by operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Ir L$_{3}$-edge to gain insight into the processes that occur during the electrocatalytic reaction at the anode during water electrolysis. For this purpose, calcined and uncalcined IrO$_{2}$ nanoparticles were tested in an operando spectroelectrochemical cell. In situ XAS under different applied potentials uncovered strong structural changes when changing the potential. Modulation excitation spectroscopy combined with XAS enhanced the information on the dynamic changes significantly. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the resulting spectra as well as FEFF9 calculations uncovered that both the Ir L$_{3}$-edge energy and the white line intensity changed due to the formation of oxygen vacancies and lower oxidation state of iridium at higher potentials, respectively. The deconvoluted spectra and their components lead to two different OER modes. It was observed that at higher OER potentials, the well-known OER mechanisms need to be modified, which is also associated with the stabilization of the catalyst, as confirmed by in situ inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). At these elevated OER potentials above 1.5 V, stronger Ir–Ir interactions were observed. They were more dominant in the calcined IrO$_{2}$ samples than in the uncalcined ones. The stronger Ir–Ir interaction upon vacancy formation is also supported by theoretical studies. We propose that this may be a crucial factor in the increased dissolution stability of the IrO$_{2}$ catalyst after calcination. The results presented here provide additional insights into the OER in acid media and demonstrate a powerful technique for quantifying the differences in mechanisms on different OER electrocatalysts. Furthermore, insights into the OER at a fundamental level are provided, which will contribute to further understanding of the reaction mechanisms in water electrolysis.

Molecular insight in structure and activity of highly efficient, low-Ir Ir-Ni oxide catalysts for electrochemical water splitting (OER)

Abstract: Mixed bimetallic oxides offer great opportunities for a systematic tuning of electrocatalytic activity and stability. Here, we demonstrate the power of this strategy using well-defined thermally prepared Ir–Ni mixed oxide thin film catalysts for the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under highly corrosive conditions such as in acidic proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers and photoelectrochemical cells (PEC). Variation of the Ir to Ni ratio resulted in a volcano type OER activity curve with an unprecedented 20-fold improvement in Ir mass-based activity over pure Ir oxide. In situ spectroscopic probing of metal dissolution indicated that, against common views, activity and stability are not directly anticorrelated. To uncover activity and stability controlling parameters, the Ir–Ni mixed thin oxide film catalysts were characterized by a wide array of spectroscopic, microscopic, scattering, and electrochemical techniques in conjunction with DFT theoretical computations. By means of an in...

Increased Ir–Ir Interaction in Iridium Oxide during the Oxygen Evolution Reaction at High Potentials Probed by Operando Spectroscopy

Abstract: The structure of IrO$_{2}$ during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was studied by operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Ir L$_{3}$-edge to gain insight into the processes that occur during the electrocatalytic reaction at the anode during water electrolysis. For this purpose, calcined and uncalcined IrO$_{2}$ nanoparticles were tested in an operando spectroelectrochemical cell. In situ XAS under different applied potentials uncovered strong structural changes when changing the potential. Modulation excitation spectroscopy combined with XAS enhanced the information on the dynamic changes significantly. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the resulting spectra as well as FEFF9 calculations uncovered that both the Ir L$_{3}$-edge energy and the white line intensity changed due to the formation of oxygen vacancies and lower oxidation state of iridium at higher potentials, respectively. The deconvoluted spectra and their components lead to two different OER modes. It was observed that at higher OER potentials, the well-known OER mechanisms need to be modified, which is also associated with the stabilization of the catalyst, as confirmed by in situ inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). At these elevated OER potentials above 1.5 V, stronger Ir–Ir interactions were observed. They were more dominant in the calcined IrO$_{2}$ samples than in the uncalcined ones. The stronger Ir–Ir interaction upon vacancy formation is also supported by theoretical studies. We propose that this may be a crucial factor in the increased dissolution stability of the IrO$_{2}$ catalyst after calcination. The results presented here provide additional insights into the OER in acid media and demonstrate a powerful technique for quantifying the differences in mechanisms on different OER electrocatalysts. Furthermore, insights into the OER at a fundamental level are provided, which will contribute to further understanding of the reaction mechanisms in water electrolysis.