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Nonprecious bimetallic NiFe ‐layered hydroxide nanosheets as a catalyst for highly efficient electrochemical water splitting
Author(s) -
Inamdar Akbar I.,
Chavan Harish S.,
Jo Yongcheol,
Im Hyunsik,
Kim Hyungsang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.6934
Subject(s) - tafel equation , overpotential , oxygen evolution , water splitting , alkaline water electrolysis , bimetallic strip , chemical engineering , electrolysis , hydroxide , electrochemistry , potassium hydroxide , electrolyte , materials science , catalysis , inorganic chemistry , hydrogen production , electrolysis of water , electrode , chemistry , metal , metallurgy , photocatalysis , engineering , biochemistry
Summary It has become highly necessary to advance stable, cost‐effective, and energy‐efficient hydrogen production using non‐precious metal‐based water electrolysis to replace the increasing demand for fossil fuels and maintain environmental safety. Herein, we present the synthesis of non‐precious bimetallic Ni 1‐x Fe x ‐layered hydroxide nanosheet films by using a chemical‐bath deposition technique for use as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for electrochemical water electrolysis. Remarkably, the optimized Ni 0.50 Fe 0.50 ‐layered hydroxide electrode exhibited excellent OER activity in 1 M potassium hydroxide electrolyte while having a low overpotential of 239.7 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 with a small Tafel slope of 38.02 mV dec −1 . It was electrochemically stable over 100 hours of continuous OER operation, thereby showing its excellent electrochemical stability. The results from a post‐OER study reveal that catalytically active OER sites are associated with the formation of a nickel oxyhydroxide intermediate on the surface of the electrode. The maximum synergy among good electronic conductivity, high diffusion coefficient, and enlarged electrochemically active sites was obtained by optimizing the Ni/Fe ratio and thereby, the OER activity.