Nanoporous metallic-glass electrocatalysts for highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 852; p. 156876
• Main Authors: Jin, Yu, Xi, Guoguo, Li, Ran, Li, Zi-An, Chen, Xiao-Bo, Zhang, Tao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 25.01.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Amorphous materials; Catalytic activity; Clean energy; Cobalt; Electrocatalysts; Electrodes; Electrolysis; Ferrous alloys; Free surfaces; Iron; Metallic glasses; Metastable atoms; Nanoalloys; Nanocrystalline metal; Nickel; Oxidation; Oxygen evolution reactions; Rapid solidification; Selective dissolution; Solid solutions; Substrates; Surface layers; Ferrous alloys; Selective dissolution; Amorphous materials; Nanocrystalline metal; Rapid solidification
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.156876

High anode overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) restricts the upscale applications of water electrolysis. We attempt to address such technical challenges through the design and preparation of a group of nanoporous (Fe–Ni–Co)-based metallic glasses (NP–FeNiCo-MGs) as electrocatalyts of OER. The nanoporous structure is yielded through electrochemical selective dissolution of active Fe solid solution phase in free-surface layer of (Fe–Ni–Co)-based amorphous-nanocrystalline alloys (FeNiCo-ANs). Electrochemical tests reveal that integral composite electrodes combining with a catalytic layer of NP-FeNiCo-MGs and a current collector of FeNiCo-ANs exhibit high catalytic activity towards water oxidation in 1 M KOH solutions, which only requires an overpotential of 274 mV to yield a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Studies of electrochemical states and electrode-electrolyte reaction process of the NP-FeNiCo-MGs during OER unveil plausible working mechanisms driving such promising catalytic activities. Based on the merits of a broad tunable range of compositions of active elements for OER, homogeneous distribution of metastable atoms, and high-surface-area nanoporous structure strongly combining with high-conductive substrate, the proposed nanoporous metallic-glass composite electrodes are of great significance for a variety of applications for clean energy. [Display omitted] •Nanoporous (Fe–Ni–Co)-based metallic glasses (NP–FeNiCo-MGs) catalytic electrodes were developed by selective dissolution.•The nanoporous structure possesses a small ligament size of 30–50 nm and pore size of 100–300 nm.•The yielded NP-FeNiCo-MGs materials realize the well-integrated design of active catalyst and conductive electrode.•The yielded NP-FeNiCo-MGs materials exhibit superior OER catalytic activity and good durability in alkaline solution.