Structural Changes of NiFe Layered Double Hydroxides During the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A Diffraction and Total Scattering <i>Operando</i> Study
NiFe-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. Here, operando X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray total scattering are used with Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis to investigate the atomic structure of the catalytically active material and follow structural changes under operating conditions. XRD shows an interlayer contraction under applied oxidative potential, which relates to a transition from the α-LDH to the γ-LDH phase. The phase transition is reversible, and the α-LDH structure is recovered at 1.3 VRHE. However, PDF analysis shows an irreversible increase in the stacking disorder under operating conditions, along with a decrease in the LDH sheet size. The analysis thus shows that the operating conditions induce a breakdown of the particles leading to a decrease in crystallite size.
Authors
- Nicolas Schlegel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7720-3146)
- Freja Bech Holde (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6572-0218)
- Gustav K. H. Wiberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1884-604X)
- Andy S. Anker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7403-6642)
- Rebecca K. Pittkowski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0351-4993)
- Kirsten M. Ø. Jensen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0291-217X)
- María Paula Salinas‐Quezada (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1361-4808)
- Matthias Arenz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9765-4315)
- Olivia Aalling‐Frederiksen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1462-7173)
- Nicolas P. L. Magnard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7213-388X)
- Stefanie Punke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9896-6265)
- Baiyu Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3777-7409)
- Laura G. Graversen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5964-7744)
- Jens Edelvang‐Pejrup (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2385-0396)
Institutions
- University of Bern (CH)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Small
- Published
- 2025-02-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202411211
- Citations
- 13
- Primary Topic
- Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.73
Funders
- Villum Fonden
- National Research Foundation
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
- Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
- VINNOVA
- Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas
- Carlsbergfondet
- Vetenskapsrådet
- DanScatt
- Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society
- Forsknings- og Innovationsstyrelsen
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron