Atomically Dispersed Ru‐doped Ti<sub>4</sub>O<sub>7</sub> Electrocatalysts for Chlorine Evolution Reaction with a Universal Activity
Woonghee Lee, Seokhyun Choung, Seok Kim, Jiyun Hong, Doyeon Kim, William A. Tarpeh, Jeong Woo Han, Kangwoo Cho
Abstract
Abstract Chlorine has been supplied by the chlor‐alkali process that deploys dimensionally stable anodes (DSAs) for the electrochemical chlorine evolution reaction (ClER). The paramount bottlenecks have been ascribed to an intensive usage of precious elements and inevitable competition with the oxygen evolution reaction. Herein, a unique case of Ru 2+ ‐O 4 active motifs anchored on Magnéli Ti 4 O 7 (Ru‐Ti 4 O 7 ) via a straightforward wet impregnation and mild annealing is reported. The Ru‐Ti 4 O 7 performs radically active ClER with minimal deployment of Ru (0.13 wt%), both in 5 m NaCl (pH 2.3) and 0.1 m NaCl (pH 6.5) electrolytes. Scanning electrochemical microscopy demonstrates superior ClER selectivity on Ru‐Ti 4 O 7 compared to the DSA. Operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal a universally active ClER (over a wide range of pH and [Cl − ]), through a direct adsorption of Cl − on Ru 2+ ‐O 4 sites as the most plausible pathway, together with stabilized ClO* at low [Cl − ] and high pH.