Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Silver/Nickel Oxide (Ag/NiO) Nanocomposites Produced Via a Citrate Sol-Gel Route as Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) in Alkaline Medium

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Electrocatalysis Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A series of Ag/NiO nanocomposite electrocatalysts, with a general molecular formula of Ag x Ni1 − xO, was synthesised employing the citrate sol-gel route and tested for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 0.1 M KOH solution. Crystal structure, morphology and stoichiometry of the catalysts were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The face-centred cubic (fcc) crystalline structure of NiO was revealed as being dominant, having an average crystallite size of 9.6 nm. SEM revealed a non-uniform, cotton-like surface for NiO showing aggregation of particles. Crystallinity of the different synthesised compounds decreased as the Ag content increased. The maximum OER activity was observed for pristine NiO, without any Ag additive, requiring an overpotential of only 263 mV to obtain a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at 25 °C. The addition of Ag inhibited the OER electrocatalytic activity, which might be due to Ag oxidation being observed at 1.431 V.

ᅟ

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. V. Maruthapandian, T. Pandiarajan, V. Saraswathy, S. Muralidharan, RSC Adv. 6, 48995–49002 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Y. Yang, H. Fei, G. Ruan, L. Li, G. Wang, N.D. Kim, J.M. Tour, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 7, 20607–20611 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Y. Cheng, S.P. Jiang, Progress in Natural Science: Materials International 25, 545–553 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Y. Meng, W. Song, H. Huang, Z. Ren, S.-Y. Chen, S.L. Suib, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 11452–11464 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. R.B. Moghaddam, C. Wang, J.B. Sorge, M.J. Brett, S.H. Bergens, Electrochem. Commun. 60, 109–112 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J.A. Bau, E.J. Luber, J.M. Buriak, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 7, 19755–19763 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. R.G. Gonzalez-Huerta, G. Ramos-Sanchez, P.B. Balbuena, J. Power Sources 268, 69–76 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. X. Song, T. Yang, H. Du, W. Dong, Z. Liang, J. Electroanal. Chem. 760, 59–63 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. D.J. Davis, T.N. Lambert, J.A. Vigil, M.A. Rodriguez, M.T. Brumbach, E.N. Coker, S.J. Limmer, J. Phys. Chem. C 118, 17342–17350 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. G. Li, H. Yu, X. Wang, S. Sun, Y. Li, Z. Shao, B. Yi, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 15, 2858–2866 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. G. Liu, J. Xu, Y. Wang, X. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A 3, 20791–20800 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. L. Trotochaud, S.W. Boettcher, Scr. Mater. 74, 25–32 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. K. Sardar, S.C. Ball, J.D.B. Sharman, D. Thompsett, J.M. Fisher, R.A.P. Smith, P.K. Biswas, M.R. Lees, R.J. Kashtiban, J. Sloan, R.I. Walton, Chem. Mater. 24, 4192–4200 (2012)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Y. Yang, H. Fei, G. Ruan, C. Xiang, J.M. Tour, ACS Nano 8, 9518–9523 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. J. Ramon, G. Mascaros, Chem. Electro. Chem 2, 37–50 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  16. C.C.L. McCrory, S. Jung, J.C. Peters, T.F. Jaramillo, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 135, 16977–16987 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. K. Fominykh, P. Chernev, I. Zaharieva, J. Sicklinger, G. Stefanic, M. Doblinger, A. Muller, A. Pokharel, S. Bocklein, C. Scheu, T. Bein, D. Fattakhova-Rohlfing, ACS Nano 9, 5180–5188 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. S. Beg, S. Hafeez, N.A.S. Al-Areqi, Solid State Ionics 261, 125–130 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. A.S. Danial, M.M. Saleh, S.A. Salih, M.I. Awad, J. Power Sources 293, 101–108 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. J. Liang, Y.-Z. Wang, C.-C. Wang, S.-Y. Lu, J. Mater. Chem. A 4, 9797–9806 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. L. Shahriary, A.A. Athawale, J. Solid State Electrochem. 19, 2255–2263 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Y. Ding, Y. Wang, L. Su, H. Zhang, Y. Lei, J. Mater. Chem. 20, 9918–9926 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. T. Audichon, W.T. Napporn, C. Canaff, C. Morais, C. Comminges, K.B. Kokoh, J. Phys. Chem. C 120, 2562–2573 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. T. Audichon, B. Guenot, S. Baranton, M. Cretin, C. Lamy, C. Coutanceau, Appl. Catal. B Environ. 200, 493–502 (2017)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. D.M. Jang, I.H. Kwak, E.L. Kwon, C.S. Jung, H.S. Im, K. Park, J. Park, J. Phys. Chem. C 119, 1921–1927 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. H.-Y. Su, Y. Gorlin, I.C. Man, F. Calle-Vallejo, J.K. Nørskov, T.F. Jaramillo, J. Rossmeisl, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 14, 14010–14022 (2012)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. G. Liu, X. Gao, K. Wang, D. He, J. Li, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy 41, 17976–17986 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. L.-A. Stern, X. Hu, Faraday Discuss. 176, 363–379 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. N. Cheng, Q. Liu, J. Tian, X. Sun, Y. He, S. Zhai, A.M. Asiri, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy 40, 9866–9871 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. P. Manivasakan, P. Ramasamy, J. Kim, RSC Adv. 5, 33269–33274 (2015)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. F. Chekin, H. Tahermansouri, M.R. Besharat, J. Solid State Electrochem. 18, 747–753 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. L. Trotochaud, J.K. Ranney, K.N. Williams, S.W. Boettcher, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 17253–17261 (2012)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. S. Jung, C.C.L. McCrory, I.M. Ferrer, J.C. Peters, T.F. Jaramillo, J. Mater. Chem. A 4, 3068–3076 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. J. Ponce, J.-L. Rehspringer, G. Poillerat, J.L. Gautier, Electrochim. Acta 46, 3373–3380 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. W. Song, Z. Ren, S.-Y. Chen, Y. Meng, S. Biswas, P. Nandi, H.A. Elsen, P.-X. Gao, S.L. Suib, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 8, 20802–20813 (2016)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. M.B. Stevens, L.J. Enman, A.S. Batchellor, M.R. Cosby, A.E. Vise, C.D.M. Trang, S.W. Boettcher, Chem. Mater. 29, 120–140 (2017)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. L. Trotochaud, S.L. Young, J.K. Ranney, S.W. Boettcher, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 6744–6753 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. K.L. Nardi, N. Yang, C.F. Dickens, A.L. Strickler, S.F. Bent, Adv. Energy Mater. 5, 1500412 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. B. Mei, A.A. Permyakova, R. Frydendal, D. Bae, T. Pedersen, P. Malacrida, O. Hansen, I.E.L. Stephens, P.C.K. Vesborg, B. Seger, I. Chorkendorff, J. Phys. Chem. Lett 5, 3456–3461 (2014)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Our thanks and appreciation is extended to Mr. Adam Schnier and Prof. Dave Billing of the Department of Chemistry at the Witwatersrand University for conducting the XRD analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrochemistry for Energy & Environment Group, Research Focus Area: Chemical Resource Beneficiation (CRB), North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa

    M. Z. Iqbal & R. J. Kriek

Authors
  1. M. Z. Iqbal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. J. Kriek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. J. Kriek.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Iqbal, M.Z., Kriek, R.J. Silver/Nickel Oxide (Ag/NiO) Nanocomposites Produced Via a Citrate Sol-Gel Route as Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) in Alkaline Medium. Electrocatalysis 9, 279–286 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-018-0455-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-018-0455-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation