Nickel–cobalt layered double hydroxide nanosheets as high-performance electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

Abstract

Developing the first-row transition-metal-based oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts with highly efficient electrocatalytic activity to replace precious catalysts, such as RuO2 and IrO2 have recently attracted considerable attention because of their earth abundant nature, low cost, environmentally friendly, multiple valence state and high theoretical activity. In this work, an advanced integrated electrode for high-performance electrochemical water oxidation has been designed and fabricated by directly growing binary nickel–cobalt layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) nanosheet arrays on nickel foam. Such economical, earth abundant NiCo-LDH nanosheets show excellent OER activity in alkaline medium with an onset overpotential as low as 290 mV, large anodic current density and excellent durability, which makes them comparable to the most active RuO2 catalyst and better than the Pt/C catalyst. The outstanding OER activity of the NiCo-LDH nanosheets can be attributed to their intrinsic layered structure, interconnected nanoarray configuration and unique redox characteristics.