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Understanding Degradation Mechanisms in SrIrO 3 Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts: Chemical and Structural Microscopy at the Nanoscale
Author(s) -
BenNaim Micha,
Liu Yunzhi,
Stevens Michaela Burke,
Lee Kyuho,
Wette Melissa R.,
Boubnov Alexey,
Trofimov Artem A.,
Ievlev Anton V.,
Belianinov Alex,
Davis Ryan C.,
Clemens Bruce M.,
Bare Simon R.,
Hikita Yasuyuki,
Hwang Harold Y.,
Higgins Drew C.,
Sinclair Robert,
Jaramillo Thomas F.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.202101542
Subject(s) - materials science , nanoscopic scale , nanotechnology , electrocatalyst , transmission electron microscopy , electrolyte , oxygen evolution , scanning transmission electron microscopy , anode , chemical engineering , characterization (materials science) , secondary ion mass spectrometry , electrochemistry , ion , electrode , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Designing acid‐stable oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts is key to developing sustainable energy technologies such as polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzers but has proven challenging due to the high applied anodic potentials and corrosive electrolyte. This work showcases advanced nanoscale microscopy techniques supported by complementary structural and chemical characterization to develop a fundamental understanding of stability in promising SrIrO 3 thin film electrocatalyst materials. Cross‐sectional high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy illustrates atomic‐scale bulk and surface structure, while secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging using a helium ion microscope provides the nanoscale lateral elemental distribution at the surface. After accelerated degradation tests under anodic potential, the SrIrO 3 film thins and roughens, but the lateral distribution of Sr and Ir remains homogeneous. A layer‐wise dissolution mechanism is hypothesized, wherein anodic potential causes the IrO x ‐rich surface to dissolve and be regenerated by Sr leaching. The characterization approaches utilized herein and mechanistic insights into SrIrO 3 are translatable to a wide range of catalyst systems.