Scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) in Bengaluru have developed an innovative method to enhance the performance of catalysts used in water splitting, a key process in producing clean hydrogen. The breakthrough addresses a long-standing challenge in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which is slower and more energy-intensive than the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
Researchers focused on improving coordination polymers (COPs), a class of materials formed by metal ions and organic molecules that are widely used in electrolysis. Although COPs hold promise, their catalytic activity has been limited because they are typically surrounded by water and solvent molecules, leaving few active sites available for reactions.
The CeNS team, working under the Department of Science and Technology, used argon plasma treatment to activate the COPs by generating coordinatively unsaturated metal sites. This modification significantly boosted their electrocatalytic performance while maintaining the structural integrity of the material.
Detailed structural tests—including X-ray diffraction, TEM imaging and XPS analysis—confirmed that the plasma process enhanced the activity of Ni- and Co-based COPs without altering their bulk framework. While the untreated materials showed high onset potentials and sluggish oxygen evolution in alkaline conditions, the plasma-treated versions delivered a substantial improvement in efficiency.
The findings, published in ACS Applied Nano Materials, demonstrate a promising and cost-effective route to improving catalyst performance for water splitting. Scientists say the approach could accelerate progress toward scalable, sustainable and affordable hydrogen energy, a key pillar of global clean-energy goals.