Supporting iridium (Ir)-based materials on stable and suitable substrates is an efficient strategy to improve their catalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in harsh acidic environments. Herein, we report a series of Ir catalysts supported on boron–carbon-nitride (BCN), denoted as Ir/BCN. Detailed experiments combined with density functional theory calculations demonstrate strong interactions between Ir nanoparticles (NPs) and the BCN support, significantly contributing to the improved OER performance. Among the synthesized catalysts, the Ir/BCN-75 catalyst outperforms commercial Ir black and IrO2 in both half-cell and proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) tests. Specially, the Ir/BCN-75 catalyst achieves a high current density of 2.94 A cm–2 at 1.9 V with a low Ir loading of 0.26 mg cm–2 in PEMWE measurements, exceeding most Ir-based catalysts reported to date. The BCN support interacts strongly with Ir, wherein Ir–N bonding directs the Ir NP growth and enhances electrocatalytic activity, while Ir–B bonding contributes to the stability of the Ir/BCN catalyst.
Zhao, Xueru, et al. "Strong Coupling of Iridium and Boron–Carbon-Nitride Support for Enhanced Acidic Water Oxidation." Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 147, no. 47, Nov. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c08243
Zhao, Xueru, Mou, Tianyou, Long, Jesse, Islam, Arephin, Kang, Sinwoo, Kariuki, Nancy N., Myers, Deborah J., Liu, Ping, Rodriguez, Jose A., Chen, Jingguang G., & Sasaki, Kotaro (2025). Strong Coupling of Iridium and Boron–Carbon-Nitride Support for Enhanced Acidic Water Oxidation. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 147(47). https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c08243
Zhao, Xueru, Mou, Tianyou, Long, Jesse, et al., "Strong Coupling of Iridium and Boron–Carbon-Nitride Support for Enhanced Acidic Water Oxidation," Journal of the American Chemical Society 147, no. 47 (2025), https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c08243
@article{osti_3005233,
author = {Zhao, Xueru and Mou, Tianyou and Long, Jesse and Islam, Arephin and Kang, Sinwoo and Kariuki, Nancy N. and Myers, Deborah J. and Liu, Ping and Rodriguez, Jose A. and Chen, Jingguang G. and others},
title = {Strong Coupling of Iridium and Boron–Carbon-Nitride Support for Enhanced Acidic Water Oxidation},
annote = {Supporting iridium (Ir)-based materials on stable and suitable substrates is an efficient strategy to improve their catalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in harsh acidic environments. Herein, we report a series of Ir catalysts supported on boron–carbon-nitride (BCN), denoted as Ir/BCN. Detailed experiments combined with density functional theory calculations demonstrate strong interactions between Ir nanoparticles (NPs) and the BCN support, significantly contributing to the improved OER performance. Among the synthesized catalysts, the Ir/BCN-75 catalyst outperforms commercial Ir black and IrO2 in both half-cell and proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) tests. Specially, the Ir/BCN-75 catalyst achieves a high current density of 2.94 A cm–2 at 1.9 V with a low Ir loading of 0.26 mg cm–2 in PEMWE measurements, exceeding most Ir-based catalysts reported to date. The BCN support interacts strongly with Ir, wherein Ir–N bonding directs the Ir NP growth and enhances electrocatalytic activity, while Ir–B bonding contributes to the stability of the Ir/BCN catalyst.},
doi = {10.1021/jacs.5c08243},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/3005233},
journal = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},
issn = {ISSN 1520-5126},
number = {47},
volume = {147},
place = {United States},
publisher = {American Chemical Society (ACS)},
year = {2025},
month = {11}}
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division (CSGB); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF); National Science Foundation (NSF); Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704; AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
3005233
Report Number(s):
BNL--229170-2025-JAAM
Journal Information:
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Chemical Society Journal Issue: 47 Vol. 147; ISSN 0002-7863; ISSN 1520-5126