Authors: Ling‐Xian Wang, Cheng‐Zong Yuan, Cong‐Hui Li, Yu‐Ru Zhang, Fuling Wu, Lei Xin, Zheping Wang, Huan Yang, Xianxian Shi, Xiaomeng Zhang, Kwun Nam Hui, Shufeng Ye, Yunfa Chen
Published: 2025-05-15
Source: Full article
AbstractBoosting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performances of transition metal‐based electrocatalysts via charge localization regulation is an effective strategy to reduce the cost of hydrogen production through water electrolysis, but still remains great challenging. Herein, a CeO2/Ce‐Co3O4 OER electrocatalyst decorated with CeO2 nanoparticles and Ce single atoms has been fabricated using one deposition and calcination method. The as‐obtained heterojunction structure of CeO2/Ce‐Co3O4 triggers interfacial built‐in electric field and as‐introduced Ce single atoms induce the charge transfer in Co‐O‐Ce configurations, thus tremendously tuning the electron localization of the Co sites. As expected, the CeO2/Ce‐Co3O4 catalyst exhibits superior performances toward OER in alkaline condition, achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of only 216 mV, and demonstrating outstanding long‐term stability for 100 h. Density functional theory and in‐situ spectroscopic results confirm that the co‐existence of heterojunction structure and single atom doping can contribute to electron localization and d band centers upshift of Co sites, thereby leading to the increased adsorption energy, lowered reaction barrier, and more proportion of lattice oxygen mechanism pathway. This work reveals the application and perspective of regulating spinel electronic structures via interfacial built‐in electric field and interatomic charge transfer for large‐scale OER applications.