O-Vacancy Mediated Partially Inverted Ferrospinels for Enhanced Activity in the Sulfuric Acid Decomposition for Hydrogen Production

Abstract

Understanding the characterization of a tailored Co 3 O 4 spinel with Fe 3+ doping poses a challenge due to the surface state complexity in bifunctional catalysts with higher cation diversity. Doping with secondary metal results in a double spinel structure (a hybrid of normal and inverted spinels). This enhances the catalytic properties by generating more active oxygen vacancies. The cobalt-rich (FeCo 2 O 4 ) hybrid spinel and iron-rich (CoFe 2 O 4 ) inverted spinel are synthesized using a wet impregnation method, supported over oxidized SiC (SiC-Pretrt) for an improved metal−support interaction. FeCo 2 O 4 on pretreated SiC exhibits the highest catalytic activity (90% conversion at 1173 K) and stability (over 100 h) in sulfuric acid decomposition of the iodine−sulfur process for hydrogen production. This improved performance is attributed to the high electronegativity of Co 3+ , oxygen vacancies, and strong metal−support interaction. The high electronegativity of Co 3+ weakens the S−O bond in M− S−O, enhancing the catalytic activity of the spinels. These results are further corroborated by detailed characterization and density functional theory calculations.