Electrochemical Water-Splitting Based on Hypochlorite Oxidation

Effective catalytic water-splitting can be electro­chemically triggered in an alkaline solution of sodium hypo­chlorite. Hypo­chlorite oxidation on poly­crystalline platinum yields ClO· radicals, which initiate a radical-assisted water-splitting, yielding oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and protons. The efficiency of the O₂ production corresponds to about two electrons per molecule of the produced O₂ and is controlled primarily by the hypo­chlorite concentration and pH.