Mixed perovskites as potential materials for solar thermochemical water splitting

Mixed perovskites, whose composition can be described by the formula La0.6Sr0.4Mn1-xFexO3 with x ranging from 0 to 1, were prepared and tested as potential catalysts for the solar thermochemical water splitting. The increase of the iron amount improves the reduction step giving higher oxygen production at lower temperature. On the other hand, the reactivity towards H2O seems to be favored by high Mn contents, while the H2 amount produced during splitting tests shows a behavior resembling that of O2 amount evolved during TGA. The results reported in this work indicates the route for the preparation of catalysts with larger intrinsic H2 productivity and lower reduction/oxidation temperature by the combination of two "phases", the first showing good self-reduction, the second with good reactivity towards water splitting.