ENHANCED OXYGEN REDUCTION REACTION VIA OXYGEN VACANCY‐RICH SILICA‐SUPPORTED Ag/Pd NANOSHELLS

Abstract Herein, we demonstrated the fine‐tuning of catalysts’ active phase by employing AgPd nanoshells with distinct Ag/Pd ratios synthesized via a galvanic replacement method for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, more interestingly, the subsequent immobilization of such Ag/Pd ratios onto silica further influenced the support characteristics, creating an increasing concentration of oxygen vacancies in this typically inert support — a surprising and unparalleled outcome attested by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, and theoretical calculation. Such a phenomenon promoted obtaining an optimized electro/photocatalyst with exceptional activity, facilitating not just the ORR but also the photochemical water‐splitting reaction. Curiously, adjusting the Ag/Pd ratio also affected the ORR mechanism, which was switched from a 2‐electron to a 4‐electron after optimization. Finally, Ag 38 Pd 62 /SiO 2 , the catalyst with the best proportion, exhibited a remarkable hydrogen production rate of 1039.8 μmol/g catalyst during 300 minutes of water splitting, surpassing the performance of the conventional Degussa TiO 2 P25 catalyst.