A mini review on NiFe-based materials as highly active oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts

TL;DR

This review summarizes recent advances in NiFe-based materials as highly active and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction, highlighting their properties, synthesis, mechanisms, and practical applications in energy devices.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the development, classification, and mechanistic understanding of NiFe-based OER catalysts, aiding future research and application.

Findings

NiFe compounds show high OER activity and stability.

Different classes of NiFe catalysts have unique advantages and challenges.

Mechanistic insights help in designing better NiFe-based electrocatalysts.

Abstract

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrolysis, as an important reaction involved in water splitting and rechargeable metal-air battery, has attracted increasing attention for clean energy generation and efficient energy storage. Nickel/iron (NiFe)-based compounds have been known as active OER catalysts since the last century, and renewed interest has been witnessed in recent years on developing advanced NiFe-based materials for better activity and stability. In this review, we present the early discovery and recent progress on NiFe-based OER electrocatalysts in terms of chemical properties, synthetic methodologies and catalytic performances. The advantages and disadvantages of each class of NiFe-based compounds are summarized, including NiFe alloys, electro-deposited films and layered-double hydroxide nanoplates. Some mechanistic studies of the active phase of NiFe-based compounds are introduced and discussed to give insight into the nature of active catalytic site, which could facilitate further improving NiFe based OER electrocatalysts. Finally, some applications of NiFe-based compounds for OER are described, including the development of electrolyzer operating with a single AAA battery with voltage below 1.5V and high performance rechargeable Zn-air batteries.