Surface-neutralization engineered NiCo-LDH/phosphate hetero-sheets toward robust oxygen evolution reaction

• Published in: Green energy & environment Vol. 9; no. 7; pp. 1151 - 1158
• Main Authors: Zhou, Shunfa, Liu, Yuxuan, Li, Jing, Liu, Zhao, Shi, Jiawei, Fan, Liyuan, Cai, Weiwei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Henan Elsevier B.V 01.07.2024; KeAi Publishing Communications Ltd; KeAi Communications Co., Ltd
• Subjects: Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Electrocatalysts; Electrolysis; Electrolytes; Engineering; Hetero-sheets; Hydrogen; Hydroxides; Intermetallic compounds; Layered double hydroxide; Morphology; Neutralization; Oxygen evolution reaction; Oxygen evolution reactions; Phosphate; Phosphates; Protons; Robustness; Stability; Hetero-sheets; Stability; Oxygen evolution reaction; Layered double hydroxide; Phosphate
• ISSN: 2468-0257; 2096-2797; 2468-0257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gee.2022.12.003

Developing highly active oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts with robust durability is essential in producing high-purity hydrogen through water electrolysis. Layered double hydroxide (LDH) based catalysts have demonstrated efficient catalytic performance toward the relatively sluggish OER. By considering the promotion effect of phosphate (Pi) on proton transfer, herein, a facile phosphate acid (PA) surface-neutralization strategy is developed to in-situ construct NiCo-LDH/NiCoPi hetero-sheets toward OER catalysis. OER activity of NiCo-LDH is significantly boosted due to the proton promotion effect and the electronic modulation effect of NiCoPi. As a result, the facilely prepared NiCo-LDH/NiCoPi catalyst displays superior OER catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 300 mV to deliver 100 mA cm−2 OER and a Tafel slope of 73 mV dec−1. Furthermore, no visible activity decay is detected after a 200-h continuous OER operation. The present work, therefore, provides a promising strategy to exploit robust OER electrocatalysts for commercial water electrolysers. A facile and novel surface-neutralization strategy is proposed for LDH/Pi hetero-sheets engineering to boost both activity and stability of alkaline OER. The scablable NiCo-LDH/NiCoPi catalyst requires only 300 mV overpotential to diliver 100 mA cm−2 OER and can stably operate for more than 200 h. [Display omitted] •NiCo-LDH/NiCoPi heterointerfaces were facilely constructed via surface-neutralization.•Pi can promote the proton transfer during OER catalysis.•Etching effect of PA would create extra vacancies for OER catalyst.•An overpotential of 300 mV can deliver 100 mA cm−2 OER.•No visible activity decay is detected after a 200-h continuous OER.