Operando unraveling photothermal-promoted dynamic active-sites generation in NiFe 2 O 4 for markedly enhanced oxygen evolution

Abstract

As the electrochemical reconstruction into highly active species is anticipated to arise under the oxidative conditions, activating and tailoring the surface reconstruction via a rational and effective strategy is pivotal to improve the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. In this work, we advance a robust process, that is, the photothermal effect originated from the spinel NiFe 2 O 4 catalyst, to render its dynamic transition into active (Ni,Fe)oxyhydroxides species that triggers highly efficient oxygen evolution. Significantly, the reaction kinetics of OER are improved due to the lowered activation energy, as modulated by the photothermal energy-promoted surface reconstruction. More importantly, the operando Raman spectroelectrochemistry study and first-principle calculation collectively unveil the mechanism of photothermal-assisted enhancement in OER reaction.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Feb 08, 2021
Source ID
10.1073/pnas.2023421118

Entities

People

  • Christopher D. Sewell
  • Jian Li
  • Likun Gao
  • Mingyue Zhang
  • Shuang Liang
  • Xun Cui
  • Yingjie Hu
  • Zewei Wang
  • Zhiqun Lin
  • Zili Li

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • China Scholarship Council
  • Georgia Tech
  • Nanjing Xiaozhuang University
  • Northeast Forestry University

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Chemistry

Readers

  • Electrochemical Engineering/ Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.