Designed Formation of Double‐Shelled Ni–Fe Layered‐Double‐Hydroxide Nanocages for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) Vol. 32; no. 16; pp. e1906432 - n/a
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jintao, Yu, Le, Chen, Ye, Lu, Xue Feng, Gao, Shuyan, Lou, Xiong Wen (David)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2020
• Subjects: Chemical composition; double‐shelled structures; Electrocatalysts; Iron; layered double hydroxides; Materials science; nanocages; Nickel; Ni–Fe; oxygen evolution reaction; Oxygen evolution reactions; Reaction kinetics; Water splitting; oxygen evolution reaction; layered double hydroxides; nanocages; Ni-Fe; double-shelled structures
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201906432

Delicate design of nanostructures for oxygen‐evolution electrocatalysts is an important strategy for accelerating the reaction kinetics of water splitting. In this work, Ni–Fe layered‐double‐hydroxide (LDH) nanocages with tunable shells are synthesized via a facile one‐pot self‐templating method. The number of shells can be precisely controlled by regulating the template etching at the interface. Benefiting from the double‐shelled structure with large electroactive surface area and optimized chemical composition, the hierarchical Ni–Fe LDH nanocages exhibit appealing electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline electrolyte. Particularly, double‐shelled Ni–Fe LDH nanocages can achieve a current density of 20 mA cm−2 at a low overpotential of 246 mV with excellent stability. Hierarchical Ni–Fe layered‐double‐hy‐droxide (LDH) nanocages with different shells are designed and synthesized via a one‐pot self‐templating method. Benefiting from the optimized architecture and improved reaction kinetics, the double‐shelled Ni–Fe LDH nanocages demonstrate appealing electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline medium.