The current state-of-the-art electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is iridium dioxide, providing a compromise between activity and stability. The low elemental abundance of iridium, coupled with the dissolution of iridium dioxide under operating conditions, prevents the global-scale implementation of electrolyzers. Understanding the origin of iridium dioxide dissolution at the nanoscale is crucial for the development of next-generation electrocatalysts that efficiently utilize iridium to meet energy demands. Herein, we report the influence of structural disorder, modulated by synthesis temperature, on the nanoscale dissolution dynamics and electrocatalytic activity of iridium dioxide nanocrystals. Our observations of dissolution on single nanocrystals revealed that structural disorder destabilized the OER-inactive (111) facets and had no substantial effect on the stability of the OER-active (110) facets. These findings highlight the importance of understanding nanoscale dynamic restructuring and suggest the possibility of developing highly active and stable (110)-based iridium dioxide electrocatalysts for water oxidation.

中文翻译：

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直接观察结构无序对二氧化铱纳米晶溶解的影响


目前最先进的析氧反应 （OER） 电催化剂是二氧化铱，它在活性和稳定性之间提供了折衷方案。铱的低元素丰度，加上二氧化铱在操作条件下的溶解，阻碍了电解槽的全球规模实施。了解纳米级二氧化铱溶解的来源对于开发有效利用铱来满足能源需求的下一代电催化剂至关重要。在此，我们报告了受合成温度调节的结构无序对二氧化铱纳米晶体的纳米级溶解动力学和电催化活性的影响。我们对单个纳米晶体溶出的观察表明，结构无序破坏了 OER 非活性 （111） 面的稳定性，并且对 OER 活性 （110） 面的稳定性没有实质性影响。这些发现强调了理解纳米级动态重组的重要性，并提出了开发用于水氧化的高活性和稳定 （110） 基二氧化铱电催化剂的可能性。