A Transparent and Flexible Electrode with Water-Oxidation Activity

Abstract

Large-scale solar-driven water splitting necessitates the advancement of practical and robust water-oxidation reaction (WOR) catalysts. The deposited NiFe (hydr)oxide on an indium tin oxide-coated polyethylene terephthalate (ITOP) substrate resulted in a transparent, flexible, stable electrode for WOR. The synthetic method used adsorbs minimal Ni/Fe on the ITOP surface, reducing costs and environmental impact. These trace amounts of ions are effective in WOR and maintain the ITOP’s transparency, preserving its visual clarity. The electrode was applied for WOR during the electrolysis of the baking soda solution. The Tafel plot reveals a linear correlation between the logarithm of current density (log(j)) and overpotential, with a Tafel slope of 59.2 mV/decade. Notably, the onset of WOR, depicted in the Tafel plot, occurs at 1.60 V (overpotential: 370 mV).