Nickel Glycerolate Overcoming a High-Entropy Configuration for High-Performance Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Author(s)

Lima, Irlan S. ; Pereira, Rafael S. ; Ritter, Timothy G. ; Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza ; Goncalves, Josue M. ; Angnes, Lucio

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CATALYSTS; v. 13, n. 10, p. 14-pg., 2023-10-01.

Abstract

In response to the requirement for alternative energy conversion and storage methods, metal-glycerolates (MG) and their analogs are considered promising classes of electrode material that can be synthesized in various designs. Recently, the concept of high-entropy configuration and multimetallic systems has gained attention in the field of electrocatalysis. In fact, the presence of five or more metals in a single-phase material can produce unique and unexpected properties. Thus, it becomes crucial to explore different metal combinations and evaluate their synergistic interaction as a result of these combinations. Therefore, in this work, a scalable solvothermal method was used to synthesize a high-entropy glycerolate (HEG) containing Ni, Zn, Mn, Mg, and Co ions (HEG) and their respective sub-systems such as NiG, NiMnG, and NiMnZnG. The SEM-EDS images showed the excellent distribution of the metal cations in the obtained microspheres. Surprisingly, our experiments demonstrated that even in reaching a single-phase HEG, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance measured in 1 M KOH electrolyte did not surpass the benefit effect observed in the NiG-based carbon paste with an overpotential of 310 mV (@10 mA cm-2), against 341 mV (@10 mA cm-2) of HEG. Moreover, the NiG shows good stability toward OER even after 24 h, which is attributed to the NiOOH active phase generated during the electrochemical cycling. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/06176-7 - Studying the layered hydroxide electrode materials with in situ transmission electron microscopy
• Grantee: Josué Martins Gonçalves
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 18/16896-7 - Development of amperometric and impedimetric sensors based on double hydroxides of nickel and vanadium (alpha-NixV1-x(OH)2) and their nanocomposites with expandable graphite/graphene
• Grantee: Josué Martins Gonçalves
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 22/04127-4 - Alpha metallic hydroxides vs. metallic glycerolates: synthesis, properties and applications
• Grantee: Irlan dos Santos Lima
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 17/13137-5 - Formation and properties of hemiesters of carbonic acid in aqueous medium
• Grantee: Claudimir Lucio Do Lago
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants