Manganese MOF-derived ruthenium-doped MnxOy catalyst for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction and energy-efficient lead recovery

Advanced, efficient, and eco-friendly technologies are essential for the safe recycling of spent lead-acid batteries for minimizing their environmental impact by mitigating toxic wastes and promoting resource sustainability by recovering valuable lead. Herein, we proposed a simple, zero-emission electrochemical strategy to recover metallic lead via the direct electrolysis of lead-acid batteries. MnxOy@RuO2 with a layered structure of stacked nanosheets was prepared via facile hydrothermal and annealing methods. MnxOy@RuO2 exhibited low overpotentials of 175 mV and 248 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 mol L−1 H2SO4 and Pb(MSA)2, respectively, showcasing its excellent OER activity. Notably, the catalyst exhibited excellent stability for over 10 hours. The MnxOy@RuO2 catalyst during constant current electrolysis required an overpotential of only 375.6 mV at 25 mA cm−2 to function, greatly reducing the precipitation of PbO2. MnxOy@RuO2 facilitated high-efficiency oxygen evolution reaction using the lead MSA electrolyte, suppressing the PbO2 formation and reducing the anode overpotential, making it an ideal anode material for energy-efficient lead recovery.