Room-Temperature Synthesis FeNiCo Layered Double Hydroxide as an Excellent Electrochemical Water Oxidation Catalyst

Abstract

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) have attracted tremendous attention in a variety of areas, including catalysis, energy storage, drug delivery, etc. Herein, we report a simple coprecipitation method to prepare highly active electrochemical catalysts of FeNiCo LDH at room temperature. In alkaline media, the as-obtained FeNi2Co2 LDH shows superior electrocatalytic activity toward water oxidation with an overpotential of 232 mV at 10 mA/cm2 and a low Tafel slope of 48 mV/dec, comparable to most of the reported noble-metal free OER catalysts. The suitable electronic structures as well as reduced charge transfer resistance that promote the electrons transfer during the OER process are proposed to be the two critical factors that lower the overpotential of the catalytic reaction.