In-Situ/Operando⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer Spectroscopic Technique and Its Applications in NiFe-based Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

The development of highly efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts for the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a significant barrier to establish effective utilization of renewable energy storage systems and water splitting to produce clean fuel. The current status of the research in developing OER catalysts shows that NiFe-based oxygen evolution catalysts (OECs) have been proven as excellent and remarkable candidates for this purpose. But it is critically important to understand the factors that influence their activity and underlying mechanism for the development of state-of-the-art OER catalysts. Therefore, the development of in-situ/operando characterizations is urgently required to detect key intermediates along with active sites and phases responsible for OER. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy is one of the appropriate and suitable techniques for determining the phase structure of catalysts under their electrochemical working conditions, identifying the active sites, clarifying the catalytic mechanisms, and determining the relationship between catalytic activity and the coordination structure of catalysts. In this tutorial review, we have discussed the current status of research on NiFe-based catalysts with particular attention to introduce in detail the knowhow about the development and utilization of in-situ/operando⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer-electrochemical spectroscopy for the study of OER mechanism. A brief overview using NiFe-(oxy)hydroxide catalysts, derived from ordered porous metal-organic framework (MOF) material NiFe-PBAs (Prussian blue analogues), as a typical model study case for the OER electrocatalyst and self-designed in-situ/operando⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer-electrochemical instrument, has been provided for the better understanding of readers. Moreover, using in-situ/operando⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, the crucial role of Fe species during OER reaction has been explained very well.

Keywords

oxygen evolution reaction / NiFe-(oxy)hydroxide electrocatalyst / NiFe Prussian blue analogue / in-situ/operando⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy / key intermediate detection

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