Investigation of the Manganese-based Oxide (MnOx) Coated Titanium Electrode for Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Medium

Abstract

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER), a critical half-reaction in electrochemical water splitting and metal–air batteries, has attracted substantial research interest owing to its pivotal role in sustainable energy conversion and storage technologies. Manganese-based oxides (MnOx), characterized by their structural versatility and compositional abundance, represent a compelling class of materials for the rational design and development of efficient OER electrocatalysts. In this study, the catalytic activity of Mn3O4 electrocatalyst on oxygen evolution in basic medium was investigated. The structural and morphological characterization of the catalyst was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods. The Mn3O4 electrocatalyst demonstrated a low overpotential of 610 mV at 1 mA cm⁻², a Tafel slope of 256 mV dec⁻¹, and long-term stability in alkaline media, comparable to many reported non-noble metals based OER catalysts. These results underscore the potential of catalyst design strategies for developing efficient, earth-abundant, and cost-effective electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications.