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Research Article

Self-supported NiFe-LDH nanosheets on NiMo-based nanorods as high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting at industrial-level current densities

Yan Zhang1, Biao Feng1, MingLei Yan2, Zhen Shen1, Yiqun Chen1, Jingyi Tian1, Fengfei Xu1, Guanghai Chen1, Xizhang Wang1, Lijun Yang1, Qiang Wu1 (), Zheng Hu1 ()
Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education (MOE) and Jiangsu Provincial Lab for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an 625014, China
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A bifunctional electrocatalyst for water splitting was constructed by growing NiFe-layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) nanosheet arrays on the conductive NiMo-based nanorods deposited on Ni foam, which exhibits only 1.61 V cell voltage at industrial-level current density of 500 mA·cm−2 with almost unchanged voltage over 1000 h. The outstanding performance is ascribed to the synergism of NiFe-LDH nanosheet arrays and NiMo-based nanorods of the hybridized three-dimensional (3D) architecture.

Abstract

Efficient, durable and economic electrocatalysts are crucial for commercializing water electrolysis technology. Herein, we report an advanced bifunctional electrocatalyst for alkaline water splitting by growing NiFe-layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) nanosheet arrays on the conductive NiMo-based nanorods deposited on Ni foam to form a three-dimensional (3D) architecture, which exhibits exceptional performances for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In overall water splitting, only the low operation voltages of 1.45/1.61 V are required to reach the current density of 10/500 mA·cm−2, and the continuous water splitting at an industrial-level current density of 500 mA·cm−2 shows a negligible degradation (1.8%) of the cell voltage over 1000 h. The outstanding performance is ascribed to the synergism of the HER-active NiMo-based nanorods and the OER-active NiFe-LDH nanosheet arrays of the hybridized 3D architecture. Specifically, the dense NiFe-LDH nanosheet arrays enhance the local pH on cathode by retarding OH− diffusion and enlarge the electrochemically active surface area on anode, while the conductive NiMo-based nanorods on Ni foam much decrease the charge-transfer resistances of both electrodes. This study provides an efficient strategy to explore advanced bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting by rationally hybridizing HER- and OER-active components.

Keywords

alkaline water splittingbifunctional electrocatalystslayered double hydroxideshigh durabilityindustrial current densities

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Nano Research
Volume 17 Issue 5,
May 2024
Pages 3769-3776
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-023-6303-9
Cite this article:
Zhang Y, Feng B, Yan M, et al. Self-supported NiFe-LDH nanosheets on NiMo-based nanorods as high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting at industrial-level current densities. Nano Research, 2024, 17(5): 3769-3776. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-6303-9
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