Understanding What Controls the Rate of Electrochemical Oxygen Evolution

Obtaining molecular scale information about the water oxidation mechanism is challenging. In Nature, using experimental and theoretical tools, Nong et al. determine that the rate-determining step on state-of-the-art iridium dioxide involves the chemical O-O bond formation between a water molecule and adsorbed oxygen; the accumulation of oxidized states reduces the barrier for this step.

Automated summary

Using experimental and theoretical tools, researchers have determined that the key step in water oxidation mechanism on state-of-the-art iridium dioxide involves the chemical O-O bond formation between a water molecule and adsorbed oxygen, with the accumulation of oxidized states reducing the barrier for this step.