Development of optically transparent water oxidation catalysts using manganese pyrophosphate compounds

• Optically transparent manganese pyrophosphates function as O2 evolution catalysts.
• By using CaMnP2O7, O2 evolution proceeded with a low overpotential at neutral pH.
• O2 evolution was visible-light-driven by using MgFe2O4 modified with Mn2P2O7.

One challenge in artificial photosynthetic systems is the development of active oxygen evolution catalysts composed of abundant elements. The oxygen evolution activities of manganese pyrophosphate compounds were examined in electrochemical and photochemical experiments. Electrocatalysis using calcium–manganese pyrophosphate exhibited good catalytic ability under neutral pH and an oxygen evolution reaction was driven with a small overpotential (η < 100 mV). UV–vis diffuse reflectance measurements revealed that manganese pyrophosphates exhibit weak absorption in the visible light region while commonly used oxygen evolution catalysts exhibit intense absorption. Therefore, the efficient light absorption of a photocatalyst was retained even after surface modification with a manganese pyrophosphate, and photochemical oxygen evolution was achieved by using magnesium ferrite modified with manganese pyrophosphate nanoparticles under the illumination of visible light at wavelength of over 420 nm.

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