A. Restovic et al., OXYGEN EVOLUTION REACTION ON COPPER MANGANITES - EFFECT OF PREPARATION METHOD AND ELECTRODE MANUFACTURING ON SUPERFICIAL SITES DENSITY, Electrochimica acta, 39(11-12), 1994, pp. 1579-1584
The importance of transition metal oxides in electrocatalysis is well
known. The electrocatalytical results can be attributed to both cation
ic composition of the oxide and electrode manufacturing. In order to s
tudy separately the surface area effects and the intrinsic catalytic n
ature, Cu1+xMn2-xO4(1.4 greater than or equal to 1 + x greater than or
equal to 1) spinel oxides were synthesized by two different ways: spr
ay pyrolysis and, thermal decomposition of metallic salts. The oxides
obtained were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), elect
rical conductivity and pzc (pH of zero charge) measurements. Five type
s of electrodes were obtained from the electrocatalytic candidate mate
rial. Their electrochemically accessible surface area (easa) was deter
mined using Zn2+ adsorption and kinetic measurements of a simple redox
couple; results of which were in good agreement. The electrocatalytic
al activity of electrode materials was evaluated studying the oer (oxy
gen evolution reaction) in 1M KOH. The activity was found to be depend
ent of the surface area effects and (Mn3+ + Mn4+) ions stoichiometry (
octahedrally co-ordinated with oxygen atoms in spinel structure). The
possibility that information about the structure of the bulk oxide can
be extrapolated to the surface is emphasized.