Redox inactive ion meliorated BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3-δ perovskite oxides as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction

Exploring competent electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is central to the development of a clean, reliable and emission-free hydrogen economy. Perovskites have been seen as promising OER electrocatalysts among all the potential candidates so far. Here, we introduced redox inactive Zr and Y ions to meliorate the redox capability of active ions and prepared BaCo0.5-xFe0.5-xZrxYxO3-delta (BCF(ZY)(x), x = 0.0-0.2) oxides as efficient electrocatalysts for the OER. The catalyst of BCF(ZY)(0.1) exhibits a higher OER activity (including disk activity, intrinsic activity and mass activity) and better durability than the gold-standard OER electrocatalyst IrO2 and the well-known Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (BSCF) perovskite. The overpotential to deliver an electrode current density of 10 mA cm(-2) of BCF(ZY)(0.1) oxide is merely 0.32 V in 1 M KOH, and the intrinsic activity of BCF(ZY)(0.1) is similar to 52 times higher than IrO2. The outstanding electro-catalytic activity and stability of BCF(ZY)(0.1) are attributed to the increased redox ability compared with BSCF, including the faster charge transfer process and much more facile adsorption of OH- and desorption of O-2.