High Performance of Mn2o3 Electrodes for Hydrogen Evolution Using Natural Bischofite Salt from Atacama Desert: A Novel Application for Solar Saline Water Splitting

Solar saline water splitting is a promising approach to sustainable hydrogen production, harnessing abundant solar energy and the availability of brine resources, especially in the Atacama Desert. Bischofite salt (MgCl<inf>2</inf>·6H<inf>2</inf>O) has garnered significant attention due to its wide range of industrial applications. Efficient hydrogen production in arid or hyper arid locations using bischofite solutions is a novel and revolutionary idea. This work studied the electrochemical performance of Mn<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> electrodes using a superposition model based on mixed potential theory and evaluated the superficial performance of this electrode in contact with a 0.5 M bischofite salt solution focusing on the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) that occur during saline water splitting. The application of the non-linear superposition model provides valuable electrochemical kinetic parameters that complement the understanding of Mn<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf>, this being one of the novelties of this work. © 2024 by the authors.