Untangling the Mechanisms in Magneto‐Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution

External magnetic fields emerge as a promising method for enhancing the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), yet the underlying magneto-electric (ME) mechanisms are not well understood. The slow kinetics of OER make it a key challenge in electrocatalytic water-splitting, a promising technique for sustainable H<sub>2</sub> fuel production. Herein, a systematic approach is presented to analyzing the ME mechanisms governing OER, using metallic-plate (Ni foam, Ni sheet, and Pt sheet) and powder-based (Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/BaFe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub> on carbon paper) electrodes. Through controlled experiments using varying magnetic field strengths and orientations, Lorentz force and spin-polarization mechanisms are separated. For metallic electrodes, the effects are orientation-dependent, indicating domination by Lorentz force. Magnetic flux density about the electrode surface is shown to govern the Lorentz force behavior. Interestingly, a "pseudo" effect is discovered which results from the relative position of the reference electrode, highlighting the importance of experimental design. The Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> systems display minimal orientation dependence, indicating spin-polarization domination. Introducing BaFe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub> as a magnetic co-catalyst further amplifies the ME effect, marking the first demonstration of magnetic co-catalyst enhancement in magneto-electrocatalysis. This work provides key insights into ME mechanisms, linking electrode composition, magnetism, and geometry to performance, offering new pathways for optimizing future magneto-electrocatalytic systems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Small
Published
2025-05-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202412852
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.82

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article

Untangling the Mechanisms in Magneto‐Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution

Xuelei Pan, Amy Radford, Mengfan Ying, Michail Stamatakis et al.
5 citations
Small
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
1.82
article

Untangling the Mechanisms in Magneto‐Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution

Xuelei Pan, Amy Radford, Mengfan Ying, Michail Stamatakis, Shik Chi Edman Tsang, Qiming Chen, Yiyang Li, Chen Wu, Mingyu Luo, Dorottya Szalay
article en
5 citations

Abstract

External magnetic fields emerge as a promising method for enhancing the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), yet the underlying magneto-electric (ME) mechanisms are not well understood. The slow kinetics of OER make it a key challenge in electrocatalytic water-splitting, a promising technique for sustainable H<sub>2</sub> fuel production. Herein, a systematic approach is presented to analyzing the ME mechanisms governing OER, using metallic-plate (Ni foam, Ni sheet, and Pt sheet) and powder-based (Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub>/BaFe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub> on carbon paper) electrodes. Through controlled experiments using varying magnetic field strengths and orientations, Lorentz force and spin-polarization mechanisms are separated. For metallic electrodes, the effects are orientation-dependent, indicating domination by Lorentz force. Magnetic flux density about the electrode surface is shown to govern the Lorentz force behavior. Interestingly, a "pseudo" effect is discovered which results from the relative position of the reference electrode, highlighting the importance of experimental design. The Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> systems display minimal orientation dependence, indicating spin-polarization domination. Introducing BaFe<sub>12</sub>O<sub>19</sub> as a magnetic co-catalyst further amplifies the ME effect, marking the first demonstration of magnetic co-catalyst enhancement in magneto-electrocatalysis. This work provides key insights into ME mechanisms, linking electrode composition, magnetism, and geometry to performance, offering new pathways for optimizing future magneto-electrocatalytic systems.

SmallVol. 22(12)
University of Oxford (GB), Zhejiang University (CN)
University of St Andrews, Cardiff University, Zhejiang University, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Responsible consumption and production
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
1.82
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