ABSTRACT
The surface of steel S235 was oxidized by Cl2 gas and checked for its electrocatalytic efficiency regarding oxygen formation in aqueous solution. If exposed to humid Cl2 gas for 110â min, steel S235 became an electrocatalyst that exhibits an overpotential for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of 462â mV at 1â mA cm(-2) at pHâ 7. The OER activity of the same sample at pHâ 13 was moderate (347â mV overpotential at 2.0â mA cm(-2) current density) in comparison with OER electrocatalysts developed recently. Potential versus time plots measured at a constant current demonstrate the sufficient stability of all samples under catalysis conditions at pHâ 7 and 13 for tens of hours. High-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectra could be reasonably resolved with the proviso that Fe2 O3 , FeO(OH), MnO(OH), and Mn2 O3 are the predominant Fe and Mn species on the surface of the oxidized steel S235.