CeNS Bengaluru develops iron-doped nickel selenide catalyst for oxygen electrocatalysis
Researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, developed an iron-doped nickel selenide catalyst that outperformed ruthenium- and platinum-based catalysts in oxygen evolution and reduction reactions, DST said on 14 May 2025.
Summary
Researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), a Bengaluru-based autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, developed a catalyst of nickel selenide doped with a small amount of iron, starting from a metal-organic framework, DST said on 14 May 2025. It is designed to make oxygen-related electrocatalytic reactions, used in water splitting for hydrogen and in making hydrogen peroxide, cheaper and more efficient than processes that rely on precious metals such as platinum or ruthenium. In tests, the catalyst needed lower overpotential and was stable for over 70 hours in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction, outperforming ruthenium-based catalysts, and beat platinum-based catalysts in Oxygen Reduction Reaction tests for hydrogen peroxide production.
Key facts
- Institute
- CeNS, Bengaluru (autonomous, DST)
- Catalyst
- Iron-doped nickel selenide, derived from a metal-organic framework
- Reactions
- Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) and Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR)
- Performance
- Stable over 70 hours in OER; outperformed ruthenium- and platinum-based catalysts
Practice MCQs 2 questions
The low-cost catalyst for oxygen electrocatalysis developed by CeNS, Bengaluru (May 2025) is based on:
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Correct answer: C — Iron-doped nickel selenide
CeNS developed a nickel selenide catalyst doped with a small amount of iron, derived from a metal-organic framework.
Consider the following statements about the CeNS catalyst (May 2025): 1. CeNS is a Bengaluru-based autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology. 2. The catalyst relies on ruthenium as its main active metal. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only statement 1 is correct. The catalyst is iron-doped nickel selenide and outperformed ruthenium-based catalysts.