Transition Metal-based Perovskite Oxides: Emerging Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Development of clean and sustainable renewable energy sources is imperative to deal with the future energy crises. Various technologies have been developed in this context, for example, water electrolysis, reversible fuel cell and metal-air batteries etc. However, the sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurring at the anode of these energy storage/conversion systems becomes a significant hurdle. Recently, researchers utilized noble metals as electrocatalysts to enhance their efficiency still the high cost and scarcity of these materials draw the attention of researchers towards the cost-effective Perovskite oxide nanomaterials due to their extraordinary flexibility. In this review, the importance of perovskite oxide nanomaterials as electrocatalysts for OER is discussed, followed by related reaction mechanisms and series of activity descriptors. Fundamental understanding about the instrumentation, parameters and protocols for the experimental measurements including concerned issues are also summarized. Moreover, various activation strategies adopted in recent years to enhance the electrocatalytic performance of perovskite oxides are also underlined. The article concludes with an outlook of existing challenges and future scope of these materials as electrocatalysts. The challenges and prospects discussed herein may pave the ways to rationally design the highly active and stable perovskites to outperform noble metal-based OER electrocatalysts.