Coupled Electronic and Structural Dynamics of Transition Metal Oxides During Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Vlada KYRISHA^a, Ranit Ram^b, Guy Pécheul^a, Maciej Lorenc^a^,^c, F. Pelayo Garcia De Arquer^b, Elzbieta Trzop^a^,^c, Ernest Pastor^a^,^c

^aIPR–Institut de Physique de Rennes, CNRS–Centre national de la recherche scientifique, UMR 6251 Université de Rennes, Rennes, France

^bICFO-Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Castelldefels, 08860 Barcelona, Spain

^cCNRS - Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Université de Rennes, DYNACOM (Dynamical Control of Materials Laboratory) – IRL 2015, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan

Proceedings of MATSUS Spring 2026 Conference (MATSUSSpring26)

G4 In situ/operando characterization of energy-related materials with synchrotron X-ray techniques

Barcelona, Spain, 2026 March 23rd - 27th

Organizers: Carlos Escudero and Juan Jesús Velasco Vélez

Poster, Vlada KYRISHA, 969
Publication date: 15th December 2025

First-row transition metal oxides are being actively explored as earth-abundant catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acid media. However, achieving high stability and reactivity poses a big challenge [1-4]. A recent study reported a strategy for the tailored delamination of a cobalt-tungsten-based oxide, which resulted in high OER activity and remarkable stability [4]. However, the mechanism by which the atomic and structural modifications of the solid impacted catalytic performance remains poorly understood. In this poster, I will present a study using complementary in situ UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction to track the structural and electronic changes [5, 6] in Co-W-based oxides before and during the OER. I will report optical and X-ray spectroscopy measurements, which track the formation of reaction intermediates and their interactions as a function of the applied potential. I will also discuss XRD data, evaluating how the lattice is dynamically modulated as a result of such interactions and during OER reactivity. This study provides insights into how electronic and structural changes are linked during OER and highlights strategies to improve catalyst efficiency and stability.

References:

[1] Pan, S. et al. Efficient and stable noble-metal-free catalyst for acidic water oxidation. Nat Commun 13, 2294 (2022).

[2] Al-Naggar, A. H., Shinde, N. M., Kim, J.-S. & Mane, R. S. Water splitting performance of metal and non-metal-doped transition metal oxide electrocatalysts. Coordination Chemistry Reviews 474, 214864 (2023).

[3] Zhang, L. et al. First-row transition metal oxide oxygen evolution electrocatalysts: regulation strategies and mechanistic understandings. Sustainable Energy & Fuels 4, 5107–5120 (2020).

[4] Ram, R. et al. Water-hydroxide trapping in cobalt tungstate for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. Science 384, 1373–1380 (2024).

[5] Pastor, E. et al. Complementary probes for the electrochemical interface. Nature Reviews Chemistry 8, 123–145 (2024).

[6] Magnussen, O. M. et al. In situ and operando X‑ray scattering methods in electrochemistry and electrocatalysis. Chemical Reviews 124, 629–721 (2024).

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