To expand the application
of p–n heterojunction NiO–SnO
2
ceramic materials
from gas sensors and photoelectrocatalysts
to oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) catalysts, we fabricated two NiO–SnO
2
ceramics on a Ti plate (NSCTs) using a simple layer-by-layer
method. The prepared NSCTs (NSCT-480 and NSCT-600) were characterized
and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction
(XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance
ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (DRUV–vis), and X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The OER activity and stability were
measured by linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry,
amperometric
i
–
t
curve, and
chronopotentiometry in a 1.0 mol/L NaOH solution at normal temperature
and pressure. After 500 cycles, the lower overpotential (η =
194 mV at 1 mA/cm
2
) indicated that NSCT-600 offered adequate
performance as an OER electrocatalyst. Moreover, the changes observed
with cyclic voltammetry, SEM, XRD, and XPS during the OER test revealed
that the redox cycle of Ni
2+
/Ni
3+
, morphology,
and crystal faces of NiO and SnO
2
were three critical factors.
The data proved that the NiO–SnO
2
ceramic is a stable
OER electrocatalyst. The results of this study will provide a guide
for the design and fabrication of p–n heterojunction metal-oxide
ceramic electrocatalysts with a high OER performance.