Optimizing nickel and cobalt-based water oxidation electrocatalysts via iron post-modification.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co)-based oxides are key electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
• Incorporating iron (Fe) into these materials enhances OER activity, but the method of Fe introduction is critical.
• Fe post-treatment emerges as a superior strategy over bulk doping and electrochemical deposition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review Fe post-treatment approaches for Ni/Co electrocatalysts.
• To elucidate the mechanisms behind Fe post-treatment's effectiveness in enhancing OER.
• To highlight the advantages of Fe post-treatment compared to conventional methods.

Main Methods:

• Review of experimental studies on Fe post-treatment of Ni/Co electrocatalysts.
• Categorization of studies based on precursor material structures.
• Analysis of the multifunctional roles of Fe in promoting OER performance.

Main Results:

• Fe post-treatment offers significant activity improvements for Ni/Co-based OER catalysts.
• This approach overcomes limitations of traditional bulk doping and electrochemical deposition.
• The effectiveness of Fe post-treatment is demonstrated across various precursor material structures.

Conclusions:

• Fe post-treatment is a highly effective strategy for enhancing Ni/Co electrocatalysts for OER.
• Understanding the mechanisms of Fe modulation is crucial for catalyst design.
• Future research should focus on precise design of Fe-modulated water oxidation catalysts.