Unleashing unprecedented activation of high-valent Ni and Fe charge dynamics in CeF₃-NiFe layered double hydroxide...

The efficacy of any electrochemical reaction hinges on the extent of interaction achievable between reactive intermediates and the electrocatalytic active site. Any weak adsorption of these intermediates on the metal's active site results in low oxygen evolution reaction (OER) rates, mainly when catalysed by the Ni-based layered double hydroxide. To tackle this challenge, a heterojunction consisting of nickel-iron layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) and cerium trifluoride (CeF₃) is synthesized. Both phases were developed in-situ to have an abundance of heterointerfaces. The charge transfer amid the NiFe-LDH and CeF₃ phases is brought about via these heterointerfaces. As a result, the overall charge dynamics associated with nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe) atoms are somewhat increased, and an enhanced positive charge on the metal site makes it more active in grabbing the reactive species, thereby making the entire OER process faster. The CeF₃-NiFeLDH catalyst reaches a current density of 1000 mA cm^-2 at an overpotential of 340 mV. Such a high current density is highly significant for the industrial-scale production of the products. The catalyst demonstrated impressive durability, maintaining stable performance for 90 h while operating at 500 mA cm^-2. The charge dynamics between both phases were thoroughly examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).