Enhanced Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction Performance by Anchoring Iridium Oxide Nanoparticles on Co3O4

The sluggish kinetics of the anodic process, known as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), has posed a significant challenge for the practical application of proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers in industrial settings. This study introduces a high-performance OER catalyst by anchoring iridium oxide nanoparticles (IrO2) onto a cobalt oxide (Co3O4) substrate via a two-step combustion method. The resulting IrO2@Co3O4 catalyst demonstrates a significant enhancement in both catalytic activity and stability in acidic environments. Notably, the overpotential required to attain a current density of 10 mA cm(-2), a commonly used benchmark for comparison, is merely 301 mV. Furthermore, stability is maintained over a duration of 80 h, as confirmed by the minimal rise in overpotential. Energy spectrum characterizations and experimental results reveal that the generation of OER-active Ir3+ species on the IrO2@Co3O4 surface is induced by the strong interaction between IrO2 and Co3O4. Theoretical calculations further indicate that IrO2 sites loaded onto Co3O4 have a lower energy barrier for *OOH deprotonation to form desorbed O-2. Moreover, this interaction also stabilizes the iridium active sites by maintaining their chemical state, leading to superior long-term stability. These insights could significantly impact the strategies for designing and synthesizing more efficient OER electrocatalysts for broader industrial application.