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Gao, Yugan, et al. Communications Chemistry 3.1 (2020): 154.
Hexadecyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (HTAH), a long-chain quaternary ammonium base, has emerged as a powerful electrolyte additive capable of significantly enhancing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrochemical systems. In recent studies, incorporating HTAH into alkaline media has been shown to increase OER current density by more than fourfold at an overpotential of 320 mV for Fe₁-ᵧNiᵧS₂@Fe₁-ₓNiₓOOH catalysts, with optimal performance achieved at 0.02 M HTAH.
The mechanistic origin of this enhancement lies in the strong adsorption of HTA⁺ cations onto catalyst surfaces. This adsorption increases the local concentration of OH⁻ ions within the electrical double layer, effectively accelerating OER kinetics. Zeta potential measurements confirm heightened surface charge density, supporting improved accumulation of reactive hydroxide species near active sites.
Beyond promoting reaction kinetics, HTAH demonstrates universality, improving performance even in catalysts with intrinsically low electrochemically active surface areas (ECSA), such as Y-type hexaferrite powders. Its synergistic effect complements advanced electrochemical conditioning (ECC) strategies, where controlled surface roughening-such as that induced by ammonia borane-further increases ECSA and porosity.
Collectively, HTAH acts as a molecular-level promoter of charge distribution, mass transport, and interfacial reaction efficiency. Its integration into alkaline electrolytes provides a versatile and highly effective strategy for boosting OER performance in water splitting, metal-air batteries, and other renewable energy platforms.
