Combined with air annealing, rutile-structured IrO₂ nanoparticles with various sizes were prepared using colloidal method. The nanoparticles were used as the electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic media, and their grain size effect was studied. The results show that with the increase in annealing temperature, the grain size of the catalyst increases, and the voltammetric charges (the electroactive areas) and apparent activity for the OER decrease. The relationship between the intrinsic activity and the annealing temperature exhibits a volcano-type curve and the catalyst annealed at 550 °C achieved the best result.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11859-013-0930-z