Highly-active oxygen evolution electrocatalyzed by a Fe-doped NiSe nanoflake array electrode

Abstract

Alkaline water electrolysis offers a simple method for mass production of hydrogen but suffers from the sluggish kinetics of the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), calling for the development of low-cost and durable oxygen evolution electrocatalysts with high activity. In this communication, we report a highly-active robust oxygen evolution electrode, developed by in situ hydrothermal growth of an Fe-doped NiSe nanoflake array directly on a macroporous FeNi foam (Fe–NiSe/FeNi foam). This electrode catalyzes the OER with an onset overpotential as low as 200 mV and needs overpotentials of 245 and 264 mV to achieve 50 and 100 mA cm⁻², respectively, in 1.0 M KOH. Remarkably, it is also highly robust to drive 500 and 1000 mA cm⁻² at overpotentials of 246 and 263 mV, respectively, in 30 wt% KOH.