Three dimensional nickel oxides/nickel structure by in situ electro-oxidation of nickel foam as robust electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

Three dimensional (3D) nickel oxide/nickel (NiOx/Ni) structure has been synthesized through a facile in situ electro-oxidation method. The formation of NiOx through the electro-oxidation process has been proved by SEM and EDX, with some dense black dots appearing on the surface of Ni foam and the molar ratio of O/Ni increasing, which is nearly 7 times larger than the pure Ni foam. The increase in O content indicates the formatted black particles on the surface of Ni foam are composed of NiOx. The electrocatalytic property of the obtained 3D NiOx/Ni structure has been measured and it can be used as a highly active electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The overpotential to reach j = 10 mA cm−2 is 0.39 V. And after the long-term I–t measurement, extremely high electrochemical and physical stability are exhibited in the 3D structure, keeping electrochemical activity and morphology the same. The excellent OER properties may be attributed to the 3D structure and the interface effect of NiOx/Ni.