Nd doping enables efficient and durable manganese-based water oxidation catalysts under acidic conditions.

Authors

Hyeongoo Kim, Jinhyeong Jo, Junghwan Woo, Yunseok Kang, Suhwan Park, Hanseok Lee, Hyeok Park, Jeeho Ha, Seok Ju Kang, Sung Gu Kang, Jun Hee Lee, Jungki Ryu

Published in

Nature communications. Volume 17. Issue 1. Sep 11, 2026. Epub Sep 11, 2026.

Abstract

Mn oxides are attractive non-noble-metal catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers, but their performance is limited by unstable Jahn-Teller-active Mn³⁺ centers and a narrow potential window. Here, we show that Nd doping stabilizes Jahn-Teller-active Mn³⁺ centers within a mixed-phase Mn oxide catalyst. The catalyst requires an overpotential of 404 mV to reach 100 mA cm^-2 and remains stable for more than 1000 h at 200 mA cm^-2. A proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer employing this catalyst operates stably for more than 600 h at 100 mA cm^-2. In situ Raman and X-ray spectroscopy, together with isotope-labeling experiments, support an oxide path mechanism and suppressed Mn overoxidation and dissolution. Phase-enriched reference experiments and density functional theory calculations show that Nd-doped α-Mn₂O₃ favors the oxide path mechanism through structural Mn³⁺ motifs, whereas β/R-MnO₂-rich domains provide structural robustness. Nd-induced 4f-2p-3 d orbital coupling enhances Mn-O covalency and stabilizes Mn³⁺ centers, thereby improving the activity-stability balance of Mn-based acidic oxygen evolution catalysts.

PMID:
42728246
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 12 Sep 2026.

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