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Electrocatalysis of Oxygen on Bifunctional Nickel‐Cobaltite Spinel
Author(s) -
Alegre Cinthia,
Busacca Concetta,
Di Blasi Alessandra,
Di Blasi Orazio,
Aricò Antonino S.,
Antonucci Vincenzo,
Baglio Vincenzo
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201901584
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , cobaltite , bifunctional , oxygen evolution , catalysis , nickel , spinel , transition metal , cobalt , materials science , electrochemistry , oxygen , inorganic chemistry , carbon fibers , chemistry , chemical engineering , electrode , metallurgy , organic chemistry , composite material , composite number , engineering
Transition‐metal‐based materials are among the most active and durable catalysts for the effective electrocatalysis of oxygen‐related reactions. Herein, we present a study on bifunctional catalysts as air electrodes aimed at metal‐air batteries based on nickel and cobalt spinel (NiCo 2 O 4 ) supported on electrospun carbon nanofibers. The physicochemical features of these transition‐metal‐based catalysts are essential for the understanding of their electrochemical activity. Results show that the major presence of oxidized Ni and Co species (Ni 3+ and Co 3+ ) produces higher activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), whereas lower oxidation states of the metals (Ni 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 0 and Co 0 ) together with the presence of N‐doped carbon lead to enhanced oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance. This study highlights the importance of designing catalysts in terms of crystallographic structure and proper oxidation states of the elements for maximizing their performance.