Solar generation of fuels is an attractive alternative to more commonly used non-renewable fuel sources due to the amount of energy reaching the earth's surface from the sun at any given time.  One proposed method of achieving this is the Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrosynthesis Cell (DSPEC), which involves a chromophore-catalyst assembly to store the energy from sunlight into common fuels, such as H2, CH3OH or CH-4. A common hurdle for these cells is the large kinetic barrier of water oxidation on the anode half of the cell, which requires a catalyst to proceed.  Small iridium oxide nanoparticles (< 2 nm in diameter) have proven to be an effective catalyst for water oxidation across a wide range of pH.  However, little is known about why they are such good catalysts.  The research presented aims to characterize and more fully understand the makeup and reactivity of IrOx NPs using various electrochemical, microscopic and spectroscopic techniques.  Further knowledge of the composition and surface chemistry of the IrOX NPs and their reactivity will aid in the development of more efficient solar fuel cells.

Characterization of iridium oxide nanoparticles (IrO<sub>x</sub> NPs) for use as a water oxidation catalyst

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.

Characterization of iridium oxide nanoparticles (IrOx NPs) for use as a water oxidation catalyst

Characterization of iridium oxide nanoparticles (IrO_x NPs) for use as a water oxidation catalyst