Article
Fluoride-Induced Dynamic Surface Self-Reconstruction Produces Unexpectedly Efficient Oxygen-Evolution Catalyst
Nano Letters
(2018)
Abstract
The oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) is a key process in water-splitting systems, fuel cells, and metal–air batteries, but the development of highly active and robust OER catalyst by simple methods is a great challenge. Here, we report an in situ dynamic surface self-reconstruction that can dramatically improve the catalytic activity of electrocatalysts. A fluoride (F–)-incorporating NiFe hydroxide (NiFe-OH-F) nanosheet array was initially grown on Ni foam by a one-step hydrothermal method, which requires a 243 mV over-potential (η) to achieve a 10 mA cm–2 current density with a Tafel slope of 42.9 mV dec–1 in alkaline media. After the surface self-reconstruction induced by fluoride leaching under OER conditions, the surface of NiFe-OH-F was converted into highly mesoporous and amorphous NiFe oxide hierarchical structure, and the OER activity at η = 220 mV increases over 58-fold. The corresponding η at 10 mA cm–2 decreases to 176 mV with an extreme low Tafel slope of 22.6 mV dec–1; this performance is superior to that of the state-of-the-art OER electrocatalysts.
Keywords
- Nickel-iron hydroxide,
- surface reconstruction,
- OER,
- electrocatalysis,
- nanostructure
Disciplines
Publication Date
Winter December 5, 2018
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b04466
Publisher Statement
This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Nano Letters after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b04466
Citation Information
Bowei Zhang, Kun Jiang, Haotian Wang and Shan Hu. "Fluoride-Induced Dynamic Surface Self-Reconstruction Produces Unexpectedly Efficient Oxygen-Evolution Catalyst" Nano Letters Vol. 19 Iss. 1 (2018) p. 530 - 537 ISSN: 1530-6984 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/shan-hu/6/