Quo vadis water oxidation?

This perspective on heterogeneous water oxidation electrocatalysis underscores the critical importance of water oxidation for the climate-friendly production of carbon-neutral fuels and value-added chemicals. We discuss recent progress in the field and highlight the unsolved key challenges for the development of catalyst materials that will make clean energy and green chemistry a reality. Special emphasis is given to materials requirements and constraints. We also identify the next frontiers for research towards the discovery of electrocatalytic water oxidation materials with disruptive benefits.

Automated summary

This article emphasizes the critical importance of water oxidation for the climate-friendly production of carbon-neutral fuels and value-added chemicals. It discusses recent progress in the field and highlights the unsolved key challenges in developing catalyst materials for clean energy and green chemistry.