MSc Thesis Defense: Hamza Arslan, INVESTIGATION OF ACTIVITY AND STABILITY OF IRIDIUM-BASED DOPED ELECTROCATALYSTS FOR WATER SPLITTING IN PEM ELECTROLYSERS, Date & Time: 22 July, 2026 – 2:00 PM, Place: FENS G015
INVESTIGATION OF ACTIVITY AND STABILITY OF IRIDIUM-BASED DOPED ELECTROCATALYSTS FOR WATER SPLITTING IN PEM ELECTROLYSERS
Hamza Arslan
Material Science and Nano Engineering, MSc Thesis, 2026
Thesis Jury
Prof. Selmiye Alkan Gürsel (Thesis Advisor)
Assoc. Prof. Alp Yürüm (Thesis Co-Advisor)
Prof. Fevzi Çakmak Cebeci
Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Fatih Kaya
Prof. Ayşe Ayşe Bayrakçeken
Date & Time: 22th July, 2026 – 2.00 PM
Place: FENS G015
Zoom Link: https://sabanciuniv.zoom.us/
Meeting ID: 757 160 5835
Keywords : PEM Electrolysis, Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Iridium Oxide, Transition
Metal Doping, Amorphous Catalysts
Abstract
Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolysis is a critical technology for sustainable green hydrogen production, yet it is significantly bottlenecked by the sluggish kinetics of the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) and the high cost of Iridium-based anode catalysts. This thesis investigates the synergistic effects of tuning structural crystallinity and transition metal doping (Mn, Ni, Ti) to enhance the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of IrO2, providing a strategic pathway to reduce noble metal reliance. Synthesized via a water-deficient sol-gel method, the structurally disordered, Mn-doped IrO2 emerged as the champion electrocatalyst, delivering a remarkably low overpotential of 287 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², a highly favorable Tafel slope of 49 mV dec⁻¹, and maintaining robust operational stability over 12 hours in acidic media. The fundamental advantage of this approach lies in the delicate balance between structural disorder and Mn incorporation. Rather than relying solely on a highly crystalline or purely amorphous phase, tuning the degree of crystallinity creates a highly heterogeneous coordination environment with an abundance of optimized active sites. This structural and electronic synergy effectively prevents the excessively strong binding of oxygen intermediates, thereby significantly accelerating OER kinetics. Ultimately, this thesis demonstrates a highly effective methodology to overcome the traditional performance limits of IrO2. By achieving superior intrinsic activity and stability, these engineered electrocatalysts provide a crucial foundation for future ultra-low noble metal loading applications, presenting a highly promising pathway for the advancement of the sustainable green hydrogen ecosystem.