Iron phthalocyanine as electron pool for boosted electrocatalytic activity of nickel oxide nanoclusters

Catalysts for the oxygen evolution/reduction reaction (OER/ORR) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) have been intensively investigated due to the sluggish kinetics resulting from the multielectron process. Here, we find that the NiOx nanoparticles (NPs) with small size could be significantly boosted by the iron phthalocyanine for enhanced the electron transfer during OER, ORR and CO2RR, leading to low overpotentials and quick kinetics for these reactions. The highly redox flexible FePc acts as an electron pool to quickly donate or accept the electrons from the ultrafine NiOx nanoclusters, providing the fast electron transfer during the electrochemical catalytic process.(c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The presence of iron phthalocyanine significantly enhances the electron transfer in the oxygen evolution/reduction reaction (OER/ORR) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), leading to lower overpotentials and faster reaction kinetics. The highly redox flexible FePc acts as an electron pool to quickly exchange electrons with the ultrafine NiOx nanoclusters, providing fast electron transfer during the electrochemical catalytic process.