Glancing Angle Deposition For Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Fabrication of nickel oxide nanocolumns using glancing angle deposition and evaluation of their structural and electrochemical properties for enhanced oxygen evolution in water splitting.
Project
Summary
In this project, we focused on enhancing the performance of nickel oxide (NiO) electrodes for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), a critical step in alkaline water electrolysis. We used a technique called glancing angle deposition (GLAD) to fabricate nanocolumnar NiO electrodes. Throughout the process, we systematically tuned key deposition parameters, such as film thickness and deposition rate, to optimize the material's catalytic activity. Our work demonstrated that we could significantly improve OER efficiency by leveraging the growth-induced structural transitions and defect formation inherent in this fabrication method. We also found that electrochemical cycling of the electrodes further enhanced their performance through a beneficial self-reconstruction process. Overall, this research highlights GLAD as an effective approach for the rational design of catalysts.
