Novel route of NiCr-layered double hydroxide nanosheets synthesis on nickel foam as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for water splitting process

Abstract

In this study, we present a novel direct synthetic route for producing NiCr-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets on a nickel foam surface using the Successive Ionic Layer Deposition (SILD) method. The morphology of the nanolayers was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Additionally, the electrocatalytic properties of the nanolayers were examined using electrochemical techniques. The NiCr-layered double hydroxide nanolayers produced through SILD using sodium hexahydroxochromate (III) anion precursor were found to be ultrathin “nanosheets” with a hydrotalcite-like structure and low crystallinity. The efficacy of electrodes based on these nanolayers as cathode and anode materials in electrocatalytic cells for hydrogen production through electrolytic water splitting in alkaline media were investigated. Our results showed that the electrode based on NiCr-LDH nanolayers exhibited good kinetics in both the cathode and anode areas.