{"paper_id":"d30dde75-d6ba-491c-bc28-23b8f274c3fc","body_text":"Magnetoresistance governs apparent magnetic-field enhancements in water electrolysis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Magnetoresistance governs apparent magnetic-field enhancements in water electrolysis Christoph Baeumer, Vadim Ratovskii, Emma van der Minne, Florian Gossing, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8948415/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The origin of the recently discovered magnetic-field-induced enhancement of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains controversial, with partly contradictory experimental observations and several competing mechanistic interpretations. Using epitaxial multilayers as well-defined model systems, we disentangle the various effects induced by the applied magnetic field, and establish a quantitative correlation between the observed OER current increments and magnetoresistance (MR) effects. In parallel, operando magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy was performed to evaluate the frequently proposed role of domain-wall removal. Surprisingly, the measured OER enhancements under magnetic field do not correlate with the appearance or disappearance of domain walls. We find no catalytic current enhancements when MR effects are eliminated. Our work thus reveals the strictly magnetoresistive origin of the observed catalytic current increase in transition metal oxides under applied magnetic field and the absence of effects related to changes in surface long-range spin order. Moreover, we highlight the need for advanced methodology to separate between effects arising from MR and the long range order at the surface. Physical sciences/Materials science/Materials for energy and catalysis/Electrocatalysis Physical sciences/Materials science/Nanoscale materials/Magnetic properties and materials Physical sciences/Chemistry/Catalysis/Electrocatalysis Physical sciences/Materials science/Condensed-matter physics/Surfaces, interfaces and thin films water splitting spin enhanced OER magnetic fields epitaxial thin films magnetic oxides Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files MOKEvideo.mp4 Operando MOKE microscopy demonstration SupplementaryInformation.pdf Supplementary Information For Magnetoresistance governs apparent magnetic-field enhancements in water electrolysis Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-8948415\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":596404728,\"identity\":\"01795567-70f4-4390-b750-7197e0cd3720\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Christoph Baeumer\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA10lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACHijN3gAXYjxAnBaeA4wgTRIgNpFaJBKI1MLfwHvww8e2bXLmM9+YP+apuFPHz8B7AK8WiQN8yZIz224by9zOMWzmOfNMQrKBLwGvFgMGHgNp3rbbiTOkgVpy2w5LGBzgMSCkxfj337bb9TMkzwC1/DssYU+EFjNpxrbbCRISPEAtDUBbGAhokTjMl2bZc+624QyetMLZf44dlpxxmIAW/vbewzd+lN2Wl2A/vOHjjJrD/PztPYYP8GlhYCZCZBSMglEwCkYBqQAAIfJJHp0mCwsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0008-514X\",\"institution\":\"MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Faculty of Science and Technology\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Christoph\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Baeumer\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404729,\"identity\":\"cf1cd847-17df-4302-b1fc-458832f71be5\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Vadim Ratovskii\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Faculty of Science and Technology\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Vadim\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Ratovskii\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404730,\"identity\":\"fd52f844-35d4-4086-8675-d8938044a409\",\"order_by\":2,\"name\":\"Emma van der Minne\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"University of Twente\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Emma\",\"middleName\":\"van der\",\"lastName\":\"Minne\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404731,\"identity\":\"09afec66-3df9-41ae-82f3-21c74a9288ae\",\"order_by\":3,\"name\":\"Florian Gossing\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Department of Materials Science, Kiel University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Florian\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Gossing\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404732,\"identity\":\"4d339a95-7a38-4365-ba84-3439a01cbc2c\",\"order_by\":4,\"name\":\"Jeffrey McCord\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0237-6450\",\"institution\":\"Kiel University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Jeffrey\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"McCord\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404733,\"identity\":\"550b8d5d-da51-4087-abbd-bd6e5910b638\",\"order_by\":5,\"name\":\"Gertjan Koster\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5478-7329\",\"institution\":\"MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Gertjan\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Koster\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404734,\"identity\":\"3a344701-ab17-46ab-a357-5edd0455c9ae\",\"order_by\":6,\"name\":\"Iris van den Bosch\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Faculty of Science and Technology\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Iris\",\"middleName\":\"van den\",\"lastName\":\"Bosch\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404735,\"identity\":\"c92b46c8-6051-4909-87fb-5f1a9ef9ea6b\",\"order_by\":7,\"name\":\"Jelle Ruiters\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Faculty of Science and Technology\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Jelle\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Ruiters\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404737,\"identity\":\"5f26b5bc-5237-48d3-8330-1e2f2b01d574\",\"order_by\":8,\"name\":\"Daan Wielens\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2816-9671\",\"institution\":\"University of Twente\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Daan\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Wielens\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":596404740,\"identity\":\"5ce527fc-8265-4410-8058-e8f87a6fe7e5\",\"order_by\":9,\"name\":\"Michael Verhage\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Materials to Optoelectronic Devices (M2D), Departments of Applied Physics and Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Michael\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Verhage\",\"suffix\":\"\"}],\"badges\":[],\"createdAt\":\"2026-02-23 14:57:35\",\"currentVersionCode\":1,\"declarations\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8948415/v1\",\"doiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8948415/v1\",\"draftVersion\":[],\"editorialEvents\":[],\"editorialNote\":\"\",\"failedWorkflow\":false,\"files\":[{\"id\":104405292,\"identity\":\"eb589693-4df3-4b8b-a15c-1a7b20a360c9\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-03-11 12:22:27\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":5716542,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"Article File\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"Manuscript.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8948415/v1_covered_d36ca307-ba3f-4551-9f32-7cdd30e20206.pdf\"},{\"id\":104335394,\"identity\":\"85da0fa2-1747-426b-a24e-cd9b6bf17bae\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-03-10 15:42:27\",\"extension\":\"mp4\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"supplement\",\"size\":3934773,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"Operando MOKE microscopy demonstration\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"MOKEvideo.mp4\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8948415/v1/bd8dbe908c986d1154edf915.mp4\"},{\"id\":104335391,\"identity\":\"b6a9ed92-1a9b-46d0-8453-9ff4c70ab844\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-03-10 15:42:26\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":2,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"supplement\",\"size\":30652399,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"Supplementary Information For Magnetoresistance governs apparent magnetic-field enhancements in water electrolysis\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"SupplementaryInformation.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8948415/v1/3400548d2d1513f2f8462d69.pdf\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"There is \\u003cb\\u003eNO\\u003c/b\\u003e Competing Interest.\",\"formattedTitle\":\"Magnetoresistance governs apparent magnetic-field enhancements in water electrolysis\",\"fulltext\":[],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":false,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":true,\"hideJournal\":false,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":true,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":true,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"nature-portfolio\",\"isNatureJournal\":true,\"hasQc\":false,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"\",\"sideBox\":\"\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"\",\"title\":\"Nature Portfolio\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":false,\"dfaEnabled\":false,\"editorialSystem\":\"ejp\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":false},\"keywords\":\"water splitting, spin enhanced OER, magnetic fields, epitaxial thin films, magnetic oxides\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8948415/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8948415/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"The origin of the recently discovered magnetic-field-induced enhancement of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains controversial, with partly contradictory experimental observations and several competing mechanistic interpretations. Using epitaxial multilayers as well-defined model systems, we disentangle the various effects induced by the applied magnetic field, and establish a quantitative correlation between the observed OER current increments and magnetoresistance (MR) effects. In parallel, operando magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) microscopy was performed to evaluate the frequently proposed role of domain-wall removal. Surprisingly, the measured OER enhancements under magnetic field do not correlate with the appearance or disappearance of domain walls. We find no catalytic current enhancements when MR effects are eliminated. Our work thus reveals the strictly magnetoresistive origin of the observed catalytic current increase in transition metal oxides under applied magnetic field and the absence of effects related to changes in surface long-range spin order. Moreover, we highlight the need for advanced methodology to separate between effects arising from MR and the long range order at the surface.\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"Magnetoresistance governs apparent magnetic-field enhancements in water electrolysis\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2026-03-10 15:42:16\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8948415/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"nature-materials\",\"isNatureJournal\":true,\"hasQc\":false,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"nmat\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Nature Materials](http://www.nature.com/nmat/)\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"\",\"title\":\"Nature Materials\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"ejp\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Nature Research\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":false}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"c145d3e0-64ce-475f-bc00-318f72b99ea7\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"March 10th, 2026\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"This content is not available.\",\"date\":\"2026-05-13T12:40:57+00:00\",\"index\":3,\"fulltext\":\"This content is not available.\"}],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"under-review\",\"subjectAreas\":[{\"id\":63461803,\"name\":\"Physical sciences/Materials science/Materials for energy and catalysis/Electrocatalysis\"},{\"id\":63461804,\"name\":\"Physical sciences/Materials science/Nanoscale materials/Magnetic properties and materials\"},{\"id\":63461805,\"name\":\"Physical sciences/Chemistry/Catalysis/Electrocatalysis\"},{\"id\":63461806,\"name\":\"Physical sciences/Materials science/Condensed-matter physics/Surfaces, interfaces and thin films\"}],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2026-03-19T17:12:11+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2026-03-10 15:42:16\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-8948415\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-8948415\",\"identity\":\"rs-8948415\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}