Microplate-Based Multielectrochemical Cells as a Platform for High-Throughput Parallel Experiments for Accelerating the Discovery of Multicomponent Electrocatalysts

Abstract

The development of efficient electrocatalysts is a critical challenge in the advancement of energy conversion technologies. Among the diverse material candidates, multielement systems exhibit significant potential due to their compositional versatility. However, the vast number of possible combinations makes it infeasible to experimentally evaluate all candidates. High-throughput experimental approaches offer a promising solution. In this study, we developed a high-throughput platform combining parallel synthesis and evaluation based on a microplate-based electrochemical cell. The developed system enables the synthesis and electrochemical characterization of 96 samples in a parallel manner. To demonstrate its utility, we synthesized and evaluated 127 candidates for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Our results revealed that quaternary materials containing Fe, Ni, Cu, and Ag exhibit superior OER activity. Notably, removing any single element significantly decreased the activity, indicating the critical role of specific elements. Further analysis identified Ag and Ni as the key contributors to the enhanced OER performance. By further improvement of the synthesis throughput, this platform holds the potential to explore larger compositional spaces, accelerating the discovery of high-performance electrocatalyst materials.