Nickel Hydroxide-Based Electrocatalysts for Promising Electrochemical Oxidation Reactions: Beyond Water Oxidation

Transition metal hydroxides have attracted significant research interest for their energy storage and conversion technique applications. In particular, nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)₂), with increasing significance, is extensively used in material science and engineering. The past decades have witnessed the flourishing of Ni(OH)₂-based materials as efficient electrocatalysts for water oxidation, which is a critical catalytic reaction for sustainable technologies, such as water electrolysis, fuel cells, CO₂ reduction, and metal-air batteries. Coupling the electrochemical oxidation of small molecules to replace water oxidation at the anode is confirmed as an effective and promising strategy for realizing the energy-saving production. The physicochemical properties of Ni(OH)₂ related to conventional water oxidation are first presented in this review. Then, recent progress based on Ni(OH)₂ materials for these promising electrochemical reactions is symmetrically categorized and reviewed. Significant emphasis is placed on establishing the structure-activity relationship and disclosing the reaction mechanism. Emerging material design strategies for novel electrocatalysts are also highlighted. Finally, the existing challenges and future research directions are presented.