Work

Scalable Electro-Oxidation Engineering of Raney Nickel Toward Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The efficiency and durability of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts at industrially relevant current high densities are critical determinants of energy consumption and operating cost of alkaline electrolyzers. However, Raney nickel, widely adopted as a commercial electrode, still lacks sufficient intrinsic activity, leading to excessive energy consumption. Herein, a facile electro-oxidation engineering strategy with strong industrial compatibility is developed, and constructs a high-performance OER electrode Raney Ni–Fe3+ without compromising the inherent stability and scalability. The optimized electrode achieves 100 mA/cm2 at a small overpotential of 265.1 mV with a Tafel slope of 36.17 mV/dec. It further demonstrates exceptional durability, remaining stable for at least 100 h at 300 mA/cm2. By in situ constructing Fe3+-doped NiOOH phases on the Raney Ni framework, the proposed strategy effectively realizes the precise synthesis of high-performance active layers and greatly enhances the intrinsic catalytic activity. This work provides a new perspective for improving alkaline electrolyzer efficiency and contributing to the large-scale advancement of green hydrogen technology.

Source: Catalysts

DOI: 10.3390/catal16010008