High Performance of Mn[sub.2]O[sub.3] Electrodes for Hydrogen Evolution Using Natural Bischofite Salt from Atacama Desert: A Novel Application for Solar Saline Water Splitting

• Published in: Materials 2024-10, Vol.17 (20)
• Main Authors: Galleguillos-Madrid, Felipe M, Salazar-Avalos, Sebastian, Fuentealba, Edward, Leiva-Guajardo, Susana, Cáceres, Luis, Po, Sepúlveda, Felipe, Brito, Iván, Cobos-Murcia, José Ángel, Rojas-Moreno, Omar F, Jimenez-Arevalo, Víctor, Schott, Eduardo, Soliz, Alvaro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Deserts; Electrochemistry; Electrodes; Hydrogen; Solar energy; Technology application
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma17205129

Solar saline water splitting is a promising approach to sustainable hydrogen production, harnessing abundant solar energy and the availability of brine resources, especially in the Atacama Desert. Bischofite salt (MgCl[sub.2]·6H[sub.2]O) has garnered significant attention due to its wide range of industrial applications. Efficient hydrogen production in arid or hyper arid locations using bischofite solutions is a novel and revolutionary idea. This work studied the electrochemical performance of Mn[sub.2]O[sub.3] electrodes using a superposition model based on mixed potential theory and evaluated the superficial performance of this electrode in contact with a 0.5 M bischofite salt solution focusing on the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) that occur during saline water splitting. The application of the non-linear superposition model provides valuable electrochemical kinetic parameters that complement the understanding of Mn[sub.2]O[sub.3], this being one of the novelties of this work.