Abstract
The development of efficient electrocatalysts based on non-noble metals for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains an important and challenging task. Multinuclear transition-metal
clusters with high structural stability are promising OER catalysts but their catalytic role is poorly understood. Here we report the crystallographic observation of OER activity over robust {Ni12}-clusters immobilised in a porous metal-organic framework, NKU-100, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction as a function of external applied potential. We observed the aggregation of confined oxygen species around the {Ni12}-cluster as a function of applied potential during the electrocatalytic process. The refined occupancy of these oxygen species shows a strong correlation with the variation of current density. This study demonstrates that the enrichment of oxygen species in the secondary coordination sphere of multinuclear transition-metal clusters can promote the OER activity.
metal-organic framework, oxygen evolution reaction, secondary coordination sphere, X-ray diffraction, binding site
clusters with high structural stability are promising OER catalysts but their catalytic role is poorly understood. Here we report the crystallographic observation of OER activity over robust {Ni12}-clusters immobilised in a porous metal-organic framework, NKU-100, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction as a function of external applied potential. We observed the aggregation of confined oxygen species around the {Ni12}-cluster as a function of applied potential during the electrocatalytic process. The refined occupancy of these oxygen species shows a strong correlation with the variation of current density. This study demonstrates that the enrichment of oxygen species in the secondary coordination sphere of multinuclear transition-metal clusters can promote the OER activity.
metal-organic framework, oxygen evolution reaction, secondary coordination sphere, X-ray diffraction, binding site
| Original language | English |
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| Journal | Science China. Chemistry |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 21 Feb 2022 |