Mechanistic study of the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction on Pt(111) using density functional theory

Density functional theory (DFT) was used to study the electrolyte solution effects on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on Pt(111). To model the acid electrolyte, an H5O2+ cluster was used. The vibrational proton oscillation modes for adsorbed H5O2+ computed at 1711 and 1010 cm(-1), in addition to OH stretching and H2O scissoring modes, agree with experimental vibrational spectra for proton formation on Pt surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum. Using the H5O2+ model, protonation of adsorbed species was found to be facile and consistent with the activation barrier of proton transfer in solution. After protonation, OOH dissociates with an activation barrier of 0.22 eV, similar to the barrier for O-2 dissociation. Comparison of the two pathways suggests that O2 protonation precedes dissociation in the oxygen reduction reaction. Additionally, an OH diffusion step following O protonation inhibits the reaction, which may lead to accumulation of oxygen on the electrode surface.