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Insights into Kinetics of Temperature-Modulated Water Electrolysis Using Layered Double Hydroxides Electrocatalyst
Sakshi Kansal1, Lalit Bharti2, Rahul Ravindran2
1School of Energy Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India.
Summary
Elevated temperatures boost electrocatalyst performance in water electrolysis. Trimetallic layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocatalysts show reduced overpotential at 55°C, enhancing hydrogen and oxygen production efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Electrocatalyst performance evaluation at elevated temperatures is crucial for real-world water electrolysis applications.
- Operational temperature affects reaction kinetics, electrolyte conductivity, and adsorption thermodynamics, influencing hydrogen and oxygen production efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of elevated temperatures on trimetallic layered double hydroxide (LDH) based nanocatalysts for water electrolysis.
- To elucidate the reasons for performance loss at temperatures beyond an optimal point.
Main Methods:
- Experimental evaluation of trimetallic layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocatalysts at room temperature and 55°C.
- In-depth density functional theory (DFT) calculations to analyze the electronic and thermodynamic properties of NiCo-LDH with Cu-doping.
Main Results:
- Overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was reduced by 20% and 10% respectively at 55°C compared to room temperature.
- DFT calculations revealed the influence of Cu-doping on formation energy, charge density, and density of states of NiCo-LDH.
Conclusions:
- Trimetallic layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocatalysts demonstrate enhanced performance in water electrolysis at 55°C.
- Electronic and thermodynamic properties, influenced by doping, are critical for designing advanced electrocatalysts for electrolyzers.
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