Optimization of Oxygen Evolution Reaction with Electroless Deposited Ni-P Catalytic Nanocoating

• Published in: Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 11; no. 11; p. 3010
• Main Authors: Battiato, Sergio, Urso, Mario, Cosentino, Salvatore, Pellegrino, Anna Lucia, Mirabella, Salvo, Terrasi, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 09.11.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Alloys; Anodes; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; catalytic nanocoatings; Charge transfer; Chemical synthesis; Efficiency; electrocatalysis; Electrochemistry; Electrode materials; Electrodes; electroless deposition; Electroless plating; Electrolysis; Evolution; Metal foams; Morphology; Nickel; Nickel base alloys; nickel phosphide; Optimization; Oxygen; oxygen evolution reaction; Oxygen evolution reactions; Phosphides; Scientific imaging; Substrates; Water splitting; oxygen evolution reaction; catalytic nanocoatings; nickel phosphide; electroless deposition; electrocatalysis
• ISSN: 2079-4991; 2079-4991
• DOI: 10.3390/nano11113010

The low efficiency of water electrolysis mostly arises from the thermodynamic uphill oxygen evolution reaction. The efficiency can be greatly improved by rationally designing low-cost and efficient oxygen evolution anode materials. Herein, we report the synthesis of Ni-P alloys adopting a facile electroless plating method under mild conditions on nickel substrates. The relationship between the Ni-P properties and catalytic activity allowed us to define the best conditions for the electroless synthesis of highperformance Ni-P catalysts. Indeed, the electrochemical investigations indicated an increased catalytic response by reducing the thickness and Ni/P ratio in the alloy. Furthermore, the Ni-P catalysts with optimized size and composition deposited on Ni foam exposed more active sites for the oxygen evolution reaction, yielding a current density of 10 mA cm at an overpotential as low as 335 mV, exhibiting charge transfer resistances of only a few ohms and a remarkable turnover frequency (TOF) value of 0.62 s at 350 mV. The present study provides an advancement in the control of the electroless synthetic approach for the design and large-scale application of high-performance metal phosphide catalysts for electrochemical water splitting.