Issue 9, 2017

Remarkable enhancement of the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction activity of NiCo2O4 by an amorphous borate shell

Abstract

It is highly desirable but still a challenging task to find a simple, fast and straightforward method to greatly improve the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance of a NiCo2O4 catalyst. In this communication, we demonstrate that developing an amorphous borate shell on a NiCo2O4 surface can boost its OER activity in alkaline media. As a 3D catalyst electrode, a NiCo2O4@Ni–Co–B nanoarray on carbon cloth needs an overpotential of only 270 mV to achieve a geometrical catalytic current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH, which is 100 mV less than that for a NiCo2O4 nanoarray. Notably, this electrode also demonstrates strong electrochemical durability, maintaining its activity for at least 100 h. The superior activity of NiCo2O4@Ni–Co–B is attributed to the amorphous Ni–Co–B shell on NiCo2O4 favoring the in situ electrochemical generation of more active species during water oxidation.

Graphical abstract: Remarkable enhancement of the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction activity of NiCo2O4 by an amorphous borate shell

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
15 Jun 2017
Accepted
25 Jul 2017
First published
25 Jul 2017

Inorg. Chem. Front., 2017,4, 1546-1550

Remarkable enhancement of the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction activity of NiCo2O4 by an amorphous borate shell

X. Ji, X. Ren, S. Hao, F. Xie, F. Qu, G. Du, A. M. Asiri and X. Sun, Inorg. Chem. Front., 2017, 4, 1546 DOI: 10.1039/C7QI00340D

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