Fe-Mediated Destabilization of Oxygen Intermediates Boosts Oxygen Evolution in Multimetallic Layered Double...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Efficient electrocatalysts are vital for electrochemical water splitting.
• Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key bottleneck in water splitting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To rationally design and synthesize an Fe-incorporated NiCo layered double hydroxide (NiCoFe-LDH) electrocatalyst.
• To investigate the effect of Fe incorporation on OER activity and stability.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of NiCoFe-LDH nanosheet arrays on 3D nickel foam.
• Electrochemical characterization to evaluate OER performance (overpotential, stability).
• Advanced characterization (Bader charge analysis, crystal orbital Hamilton population) to understand electronic structure changes.

Main Results:

• Optimized NiCoFe-LDH demonstrated significantly enhanced OER activity.
• Achieved a low overpotential of 215 mV at 100 mA cm^-2 with excellent long-term stability.
• Fe incorporation downshifted the d-band center, weakening metal-oxygen bonding and accelerating OER kinetics.

Conclusions:

• Fe incorporation effectively modulates the electronic structure of NiCo-LDH, enhancing OER performance.
• The study provides mechanistic insights into catalyst design for improved OER activity.
• Presents a viable strategy for developing high-performance transition metal-based electrocatalysts.