A nanosized Mn oxide/boron nitride composite as a catalyst for water oxidation

Abstract

Herein, a nanosized Mn oxide/boron nitride composite is reported as a catalyst for water oxidation. This study is interesting because nanosized boron nitride is one of the most stable and inert compounds and can form a new composite with Mn oxides. The composite was synthesized using a straightforward and simple procedure and characterized, showing that the composite is a supported Mn(III,IV) oxide on boron nitride. The water-oxidizing activity of the composite was studied in the presence of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate and photoproduced Ru(bpy)₃³⁺ as oxidants. The optimized catalyst calcined at 200–300 °C showed a turnover frequency of 0.15 (mmol_O2/s⁻¹ mol_Mn⁻¹) in the presence of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate.