Iridium oxide nanoribbons with metastable monoclinic phase for highly efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Metastable metal oxides with ribbon morphologies have promising applications for energy conversion catalysis, however they are largely restricted by their limited synthesis methods. In this study, a monoclinic phase iridium oxide nanoribbon with a space group of C2/m is successfully obtained, which is distinct from rutile iridium oxide with a stable tetragonal phase (P42/mnm). A molten-alkali mechanochemical method provides a unique strategy for achieving this layered nanoribbon structure via a conversion from a monoclinic phase K0.25IrO2 (I2/m (12)) precursor. The formation mechanism of IrO2 nanoribbon is clearly revealed, with its further conversion to IrO2 nanosheet with a trigonal phase. When applied as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction in acidic condition, the intrinsic catalytic activity of IrO2 nanoribbon is higher than that of tetragonal phase IrO2 due to the low d band centre of Ir in this special monoclinic phase structure, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. Well-defined metastable phase nanostructures are a core issue for catalyst design. Here, the authors report metastable monoclinic phase IrO2 nanoribbons obtained via a molten-alkali mechanochemical method, which exhibit intrinsic high performance towards the acidic oxygen evolution reaction.

Automated summary

In this study, a monoclinic phase iridium oxide nanoribbon with a space group of C2/m is successfully obtained, which is distinct from rutile iridium oxide with a stable tetragonal phase (P42/mnm). The formation mechanism of IrO2 nanoribbon is clearly revealed, with its further conversion to IrO2 nanosheet with a trigonal phase. Well-defined metastable phase nanostructures are a core issue for catalyst design.