Electrocatalytic Properties of Iron Ferrite (Fe3O4) Obtained by Thermal Decomposition Method Using Egg White (Ovalbumin)

Nano-sized spinel oxide iron ferrite (Fe3O4) was obtained by thermal decomposition method using egg white (ovalbumin) at 500°C and characterized by physicochemical (TGA, IR, XRD, and SEM) and electrochemical (CV, impedance, and Tafel polarization) techniques. The characteristic vibration bands in FTIR (449–590 cm–1) and XRD powder patterns of decomposed oxide showed the formation of nano-sized (~28 nm) spinel-type oxide. The electrocatalytic performance of iron ferrite was investigated by CV, impedance, and Tafel polarization techniques. Fabricated GC/Fe3O4-electrode showed sluggish kinetic behaviour towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 M KOH solution. Tafel slopes for OER at lower and higher overpotential regions were observed at 93–140 mV decade–1, and thermodynamic parameters such as activation energy (Ea) and electrochemical entropy of reaction were estimated from the Arrhenius plot, and it was found to be ~23 KJ mol–1 deg–1 and –204 J mol–1 respectively.