Disclosing the High Activity of Ceramic Metallics in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Nickel Materials as a Case Study

Abstract Here, we elucidate the activity origin of ceramic nickel electrocatalysts in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), ranging from nitrides, sulfides, and phosphides, as a case study that may be projected on almost any ceramic metallic. Our results show that regardless of the starting material, the formation of an active (oxy)hydroxide layer, acting as the real electrocatalyst during the OER, is unavoidable. Nevertheless, the in situ transformation into highly active (oxy)hydroxides leads to the formation of active catalysts for various applications.