An integral composite electrode with low Ir loading for efficient acidic oxygen evolution

Abstract

The development of low-Ir-loading oxygen evolution reaction catalysts with high performance and stability is a major challenge for advancing proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). In this study, we report an integral composite electrode by depositing TiO₂ nanowires on titanium plate via an in situ growth method and subsequently loading Ir nanoparticles onto these nanowires (Ir–TiO₂/TP). This approach not only reduces the usage of Ir but also significantly enhances the catalytic performance, with a low overpotential of 199 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², while maintaining negligible activity decay over 440 hours at 10 mA cm⁻² in 0.5 M H₂SO₄.