Alkoxide-intercalated NiFe-layered double hydroxides magnetic nanosheets as efficient water oxidation electrocatalysts

TL;DR

This study presents alkoxide-intercalated NiFe-layered double hydroxides synthesized via a nonaqueous route, demonstrating their high-quality structure and exceptional water oxidation electrocatalytic performance at basic pH levels.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel nonaqueous synthesis method for alkoxide-intercalated NiFe-LDHs with high crystalline quality and shows their effectiveness as water oxidation electrocatalysts.

Findings

Exhibited low overpotential (~249 mV) for water oxidation at basic pH.

Can be exfoliated into ultra-thin films (<3 nm) using O2 plasma.

Showed Tafel slopes of 52-55 mV/decade indicating efficient catalysis.

Abstract

Alkoxide-intercalated NiFe-layered double hydroxides were synthesized via the nonaqueous methanolic route. These nanoplatelets exhibit high crystalline quality as demonstrated by atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Moreover, the presence of the alkoxide moieties has been unambiguously demonstrated by means of thermogravimetric analysis coupled to a mass spectrometer. These NiFe-LDHs can be exfoliated in water or organic solvents and processed into homogeneous ultra-thin films (< 3nm thick) with the assistance of O2-plasma. The study of their behaviour as water oxidation electrocatalysts has shown an outstanding performance at basic pHs (small overpotential of ca. 249 mV and Tafel slopes in the range of 52-55 mV per decade).