A comprehensive study of the mechanism by which electrochemical water splitting occurs on gold surfaces has been carried out by scientists writing in Chemical Science.
The researchers used in-situ surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), on-line electrochemical mass spectrometry and density functional theory (DFT) calculations and found that more than one mechanism may be at work, depending on the voltage applied.
The results show that electrocatalytic surfaces for oxygen evolution may undergo dynamic changes as the reaction progresses. The oxygen evolved on a gold electrode at the onset of potential appears to be the product of an oxygen decomposition step.
Electrochemical water splitting by gold: evidence for an oxide decomposition mechanism
Marc T.M. Koper , Oscar Diaz-Morales , Federico Calle-Vallejo and Casper de Munck
Chem. Sci., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/C3SC50301A
