Electrodeposition of Nickel on Stainless Steel Electrode and its Application for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the anodic reaction that accompanies, in aqueous electrolytes, commerically important cathodic processes such as metal electrowinning and hydrogen production via alkaline water electrolysis. For the latter process, the anodic overpotential is the major factor in limting operational efficiency [1, 2]. The optimal oxygen evolution anode materials are RuO2 and IrO2, since these oxides exhibit the lowest overpotentials for the reaction at practical current densities. The high cost of these materials and their poor long term stability in alkaline solution, renders their widespread commercial utilization both uneconomical and impractical [3, 4]. Nickel and its alloys have therefore become the anodes of choice for water electrolysis [1, 3]. The electrodeposition method is a way to overcome the cost problem of noble metal catalysts, makes catalysts that are deposited directly on the surface of the substrate. In this work a nickel modified stainless steel electrode was prepared using electrodeposition method in micellar solution containing Ni2+ ions. electrodeposition was done by two methods, containing potentiodynamic and potentiostatic methods. The OER was carried out by these modified steel electrods using linear sweep voltammetry method. Effect of some experimental parameter such as surfactant concentration, potential for Ni electrodeposition, time of Ni electrodeposition, number of potential cycling for Ni electrodeposition, on electrode response was studied. Resulting modified electrode was characterized by SEM images. The OER is significantly enhanced upon modification of the electrodes, as demonstrated by a negative shift in the LSV curves at the Ni modified electrodes compared to that obtained at the unmodified ones. The values of energy saving of oxygen gas at a current density of 10 mAcm−2 for electrodes prepared by potentiodynamic and potentiostatic methods in optimized condition are 16.0, and 21.6 kWh kg−1, respectively. These modified electrodes are very low cost and very stable even after 400 potential cycling in alkaline solution.