Nickel/Vulcan XC-72R Nanocatalysts via the Rotating Disk Slurry Electrodeposition (RoDSE) Method as Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) in Alkaline Medium

Hydrogen production has gained popularity due to being an excellent energy carrier, with the capabilities of being stored and used with sustainable energy sources like fuel cells. However, hydrogen does not exist in nature and needs to be produced using non-environmentally friendly methods. These methods have led to the development of new sustainable hydrogen production alternatives, like alkaline water splitting for clean energy production. The development of new earth-abundant electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) could help the efficiency of water splitting processes by reducing the energy barrier and improving its reaction kinetics. We used in this work a Nickel/Vulcan XC-72R (Ni/V) electrocatalyst for the OER in an alkaline medium. The Rotating disk slurry electrodeposition (RoDSE) methodology was explored to prepare nickel nanocatalysts supported on Vulcan XC-72R. The Ni/V electrodeposition was performed in 0.1 M KClO₄ at three different potentials (-0.40 V, -0.67 V, -0.75 V) vs. RHE. We found that Ni/V was deposited on the Vulcan support at -0.67 V and -0.75 V vs. RHE using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Linear sweep voltammograms (LSV) experiments demonstrated an overpotential of 480 mV vs. RHE at 10 mA/cm²disk in 0.1M KOH for the OER using the Ni/V catalyst obtained by electrodeposition at -0.75 V vs. RHE. Future experiments will focus on measuring our remaining Ni/V electrocatalyst and determining their specific activity and mass activity for the OER in alkaline electrolyte.