Synthesis and characterization of NiFe-carbon fibers by solution blow spinning and application for the oxygen evolution reaction

Abstract

NiFe-carbon fibers were obtained by Solution Blow Spinning (SBS) and had their microstructure, properties and electrochemical behavior as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) systematically studied. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy showed that the samples are NiFe-carbon fibers and consist of sphere-like NiFe nanoparticles (with diameters in the range 4–12 nm) uniformly dispersed in the fibrillar carbon matrix. Raman spectroscopy revealed the carbon counterpart with D and G bands showing a intensity ratio of 0.8235. The magnetic hysteresis curve at 4 and 300 K are typical of ferromagnetic material. The catalytic activity of NiFe-carbon fibers towards OER under alkaline medium showed an overpotential of 296 mV vs. RHE at J = 10 mA cm−2, and a high electrochemical stability over 15 h under an electrolysis current of J = 10 mA cm−2.