Electrochemical Characterization of Nife-Layered Double Hydroxide Electrocatalysts for Energy Storage Applications

Sean P. Rogers¹, Brady Weathers¹, Samuel Baldwin¹, Matthew DiBiase¹, Thomas Gascoigne¹, Jiangtian Li², Rongzhong Jiang², Deryn Chu^2*, Caspar C. Yi¹, Enoch A. Nagelli^1*

¹Department of Chemistry & Life Science, Chemical Engineering Program, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996

²U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Army Research Laboratory

2800 Powder Mill Rd., Adelphi, MD 20783-1107

Ni-based foam electrocatalysts are promising cost-effective alternatives to noble metal catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water-splitting. Ni-layered double hydroxides (LDH) and NiFe-LDH foams were synthesized with electrodeposition techniques with commercial Ni foam. Alternative catalysts such as 3D nickel foams with high surface area and surface-to-volume ratio are promising materials to reduce kinetic losses and enhance mass transfer rates. Raman Spectroscopy is used to confirm the presence defects from the layered double hydroxides with nickel. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize the morphology of the 3D foam structure and the surface elemental composition. Electrochemical characterization techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and potentiostatic measurements are used to characterize the areal specific resistance (ASR), areal capacitance, electrochemical surface area, and electrochemical stability, respectively.

KEYWORDS: Ni-foam catalysts, water-splitting, electrocatalysts, 3D Ni foams, Layered Double Hydroxide

CONTACT: Dr. Enoch A. Nagelli, Email: enoch.nagelli@westpoint.edu; Dr. Deryn Chu, Email: deryn.d.chu.civ@mail.mil ,