Adsorption Energy in Oxygen Electrocatalysis

Adsorption energy (AE) of reactive intermediate is currently the most important descriptor for electrochemical reactions (e.g., water electrolysis, hydrogen fuel cell, electrochemical nitrogen fixation, electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction, etc.), which can bridge the gap between catalyst's structure and activity. Tracing the history and evolution of AE can help to understand electrocatalysis and design optimal electrocatalysts. Focusing on oxygen electrocatalysis, this review aims to provide a comprehensive introduction on how AE is selected as the activity descriptor, the intrinsic and empirical relationships related to AE, how AE links the structure and electrocatalytic performance, the approaches to obtain AE, the strategies to improve catalytic activity by modulating AE, the extrinsic influences on AE from the environment, and the methods in circumventing linear scaling relations of AE. An outlook is provided at the end with emphasis on possible future investigation related to the obstacles existing between adsorption energy and electrocatalytic performance.

Automated summary

This review provides a comprehensive introduction to the importance of adsorption energy in electrochemical reactions and its role in bridging the gap between catalyst structure and activity. Focusing on oxygen electrocatalysis, it discusses the selection of adsorption energy as an activity descriptor, intrinsic and empirical relationships related to adsorption energy, the link between structure and electrocatalytic performance, approaches to obtain adsorption energy, strategies to improve catalytic activity by modulating adsorption energy, extrinsic influences on adsorption energy from the environment, and methods to bypass linear scaling relations of adsorption energy. An outlook is also provided, highlighting possible future investigations related to the obstacles between adsorption energy and electrocatalytic performance.