Revealing Structural Evolution of Nickel Phosphide-Iron Oxide Core-Shell Nanocatalysts in Alkaline Medium for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Metal phosphide-containing materials have emerged as a potential candidate of nonprecious metal-based catalysts for alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER). While it is known that metal phosphide undergoes structural evolution, considerable debate persists regarding the effects of dynamics on the surface activation and morphological stability of the catalysts. In this study, we synthesize NiP -FeO core-shell nanocatalysts with an amorphous NiP core designed for enhanced OER activity. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we elucidate the local structural changes as a function of the cyclic voltammetry cycles. Our studies suggest that the presence of corner-sharing octahedra in the FeO shell improves structural rigidity through interlayer cross-linking, thereby inhibiting the diffusion of OH/HO. Thus, the FeO shell preserves the amorphous NiP core from rapid oxidation to Ni(PO) and Ni(OH). On the other hand, the incorporation of Ni from the core into the FeO shell facilitates absorption of hydroxide ions for OER. As a result, Ni/Fe(OH) at the surface oxidizes to the active γ-(oxy)hydroxide phase under the applied potentials, promoting OER. This intriguing synergistic behavior holds significance as such a synthetic route involving the FeO shell can be extended to other systems, enabling manipulation of surface adsorption and diffusion of hydroxide ions. These findings also demonstrate that nanomaterials with core-shell morphologies can be tuned to leverage the strength of each metallic component for improved electrochemical activities.