Room-Temperature Ultrafast Synthesis of NiCo-Layered Double Hydroxide as an Excellent Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation

Abstract

Designing and synthesis of efficient, highly active with longer stability and earth abundant catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is urgent need for the electrochemical production of fuels. In this aspect, herein, facile room-temperature electrodeposited NiCo layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) is reported as a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for OER in aqueous solution. In alkaline media, as obtained NiCo LDH shows superior electrocatalytic activity towards water oxidation with overpotential of 270 mV at 10 mA/cm(2) with low Tafel slope of 61 mV/dec. The 3D NiCo-LDH network exhibits excellent structural stability for 36 hours in alkaline media. After testing for stability test, the NiCo-LDH catalyst maintains its hierarchical 3D network with insignificant degradation in the catalytic activity.