High temperature superconducting materials as bi-functional catalysts for hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction

Abstract

As the world progresses towards green and cost-effective energy applications, it is imperative to discover and introduce viable electrocatalysts to replace platinum, which is expensive and scarce. High-temperature superconductors have been intensively studied at the end of the 20^th century owing to their unique electrical behaviour; nonetheless, we wish to show their interesting electrocatalytic properties as well. This work seeks to investigate the feasibility of two high-temperature superconductors, YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO) and Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ (BSCCO) in catalysing the hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions electrochemically. These materials can be easily synthesized by solid state reactions and this in combination with the fairly impressive electrocatalytic properties displayed in our study, mean that they definitely possess the potential to replace platinum as prospective electrocatalysts.