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Active and Stable Nickel‐Based Electrocatalysts Based on the ZnO:Ni System for Water Oxidation in Alkaline Media
Author(s) -
Pfrommer Johannes,
Azarpira Anahita,
Steigert Alexander,
Olech Katarzyna,
Menezes Prashanth W.,
Duarte Roberto Félix,
Liao Xiaxia,
Wilks Regan G.,
Bär Marcus,
SchedelNiedrig Thomas,
Driess Matthias
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201600922
Subject(s) - non blocking i/o , nickel , catalysis , tin oxide , materials science , inorganic chemistry , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , electrolyte , chemical engineering , dissolution , oxide , electrode , chemistry , metallurgy , organic chemistry , engineering
The synthesis of monodisperse, surfactant‐free, Ni‐substituted ZnO nanocrystallites (ZnO:Ni) by the mild solvolysis of heterobimetallic Ni 4− x Zn x O 4 cubane‐like precursors ( x =1–3) in benzylamine is reported. Ni 4− x Zn x O 4 was grafted by electrophoretic deposition onto fluorine‐doped tin oxide glass substrates and used as an active and stable working electrode for water oxidation. Upon the application of a voltage at the electrodes, the ZnO:Ni precatalyst leads to an active composite material that can oxidize water (>15 h) with an increasing catalytic current. In contrast, the performance of homometallic NiO reference materials decreases rapidly over time and is surpassed by the composite from the ZnO:Ni precatalyst in terms of both stability and activity. Extensive characterization of the as‐prepared and activated ZnO:Ni precatalyst by using hard X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the excellent performance of the electrode material is because of the formation of a unique self‐supported turbostratically disordered mixture of γ‐NiOOH/α‐Ni(OH) 2 ‐like phases from the rapid dissolution of Zn II in the ZnO:Ni precatalyst into the electrolyte during activation.