Constructing Ni(OH)₂ nanosheets on a nickel foam electrode for efficient electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Traditional water electrolysis for hydrogen production is energy-intensive due to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
• The ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is a more energy-efficient alternative for hydrogen production, yielding valuable byproducts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel nickel-based catalyst for enhanced ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) performance.
• To reduce energy consumption in hydrogen production by coupling EOR with the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH) using a facile method involving nickel foam and fumaric acid in DMF via solvothermal treatment.
• Characterization of the resulting nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) nanosheet-modified nickel foam (FU-NF) electrode.
• Electrochemical evaluation of the FU-NF electrode's performance in the EOR.

Main Results:

• The FU-NF electrode demonstrated a 3D skeleton network architecture with abundant active sites for EOR.
• Electrochemical studies confirmed the in situ oxidation of Ni(OH)2 nanosheets to NiOOH species, enhancing catalytic activity.
• The FU-NF electrode exhibited excellent EOR catalytic activity (10 and 100 mA cm^-2 at 1.314 and 1.353 V_RHE), high Faradaic efficiency (99.84%), and stability (>100 h).

Conclusions:

• The developed FU-NF electrode, utilizing reconstructed NiOOH, shows significant promise for efficient EOR.
• This work presents a new strategy for preparing Ni-based catalysts for converting ethanol into high-value products.
• The findings offer a pathway to reduce energy demands in hydrogen production.