Design of bio-inspired oxygen evolution catalysts based on multielectron transfer regulation

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26288092
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Energy-related chemistry
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Ryuhei Nakamura 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 環境資源科学研究センター, チームリーダー (10447419)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 人工光合成 / 水素 / 水分解 / 生体模倣 / 電子移動 / 電極触媒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the new hypothesis that the difference in the stability of Mn3+ between biological and artificial Mn catalysts is the origin for the activity difference, we have attempted to design the efficient catalysts for water oxidation under neutral pH. It was demonstrated that the induction of coupled electron-proton transfer is effective strategy to stabilize Mn3+, leading to the large enhancement of the activity. It was also demonstrated that the exposure of metastable faces of and lowering the size of Mn catalysts stabilize Mn3+, thus enhancing the activity. Furthermore, by comparing the mechanisms of novel-metal catalysts, we have successfully generalize our concept of Mn3+, highlighting that the spin state regulation of intermediates is critical to generate next-generation O2 evolution catalysts with abundant 3d-block elements.

Free Research Field

電気化学