Dynamic Structure Evolution of Composition Segregated Iridium-Nickel Rhombic Dodecahedra toward Efficient Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysis

The anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is central to various energy conversion devices, but the investigation of the dynamic evolution of catalysts in different OER conditions remains quite limited, which is unfavorable for the understanding of the actual structure–activity relationship and catalyst optimization. Herein, we constructed monodispersed IrNix nanoparticles (NPs) with distinct composition-segregated features and captured their structural evolution in various OER environments. We decoded the interesting self-reconstruction of IrNix NPs during the OER, in which an Ir-skin framework is generated in an acidic electrolyte, while a Ni-rich surface layer is observed in an alkaline electrolyte owing to Ni migration. Benefiting from such self-reconstruction, considerable OER enhancements are achieved under both acidic and alkaline conditions. For comparison, IrNix nanoframes with Ir skins prepared by chemical etching show a similar structural evolution result in the acidic electrolyte, but a total different phenomenon in the alkaline electrolyte. By tracking the structural evolution of IrNix catalysts and correlating them with OER activity trajectories, the present work provides a significant understanding for designing efficient OER catalysts with controlled compositional distributions.