Electromodified NiFe Alloys as Electrocatalysts for Water Oxidation: Mechanistic Implications of Time-Resolved UV/Vis Tracking of Oxidation State Changes

Abstract

Facile electromodification of metallic NiFe alloys leads to a series of NiFe oxyhydroxide surface films with excellent electrocatalytic performance in alkaline water oxidation. During cyclic voltammetry and after sudden potential jumps between noncatalytic and catalytic potentials, Ni oxidation/reduction was tracked with millisecond time resolution by a UV/Vis reflectance signal. Optimal catalysis at intermediate Ni/Fe ratios is explained by two opposing trends for increasing Fe content: a) pronounced slowdown of the Ni²⁺ /Ni³⁺ oxidation step and b) increased reactivity of the most oxidized catalyst state detectable at catalytic potentials. This state may involve an equilibrium between Ni⁴⁺ ions and Ni²⁺ ions with neighboring ligand holes, possibly in the form of bound peroxides.

Keywords: NiFe oxyhydroxides; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; electrocatalysis; spectroelectrochemistry; water oxidation.