This contribution presents our measurements of the proton and electron transfer kinetics on a well-defined RuO2 surface, an archetypal oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst. The OER catalyst contains a series of proton and electron transfers, with the OER catalyst functions by electro-adsorbing the intermediates during the proton and electron transfer events. We present our measurements of the proton and electron transfer kinetics during the intermediate stabilizations, specifically the de-protonation rate of OH* to O*, one of the elementary step of the OER. These measurements are common for homogeneous catalysts but have not yet been done for heterogeneous catalysts, in particular, oxides such as RuO2. Our experiment uses rate-dependent cyclic voltammetry to probe the proton and electron rate constants on single-orientation RuO2(110). By varying electrolytes, we further identify how the rate constant varies with pH to determine whether the proton and electron transfers are coupled or decoupled. Our results offer insights into the surface electron transfer kinetics on heterogeneous catalysts and provide directions to the design of future oxide electrocatalysts.

How fast are the proton and electron transfers on RuO2? A Ru-OH deprotonation study

256th National Meeting (2018)

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