Fabrication
of effective and low-cost electrocatalysts for water
splitting is critical to sustainable energy-conversion technologies.
We report the synthesis of nickel sulfide (NiS) nanoflakes by aerosol-assisted
chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) on Ni foam. Upon electrochemical
measurements, NiS nanoflake films exhibit excellent oxygen evolution
reaction (OER) activity and stability in basic solutions, advancing
an attractive alternative to precious metals and other transition-metal
catalysts that have been extensively investigated. The NiS@Ni-Foam
prepared at 350 °C offered a high current density of 1100 mA/cm2 at an overpotential of 450 mV with a Tafel slope of 81.3
mV/dec. Furthermore, it remained durable at a constant current for
>15 h in 1 M KOH solution. The high OER activity of NiS@Ni-Foam
prepared
at 350 °C is due to the nanoflake-like morphology and crystalline
structure, as observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution
transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
Likewise, NiS@Ni-Foam prepared at 350 °C provided a high specific
surface area for facile ion transport, charge transfer, and enormous
electrochemical active sites. Hence, it collectively resulted in enhanced
water splitting oxygen evolution reaction (OER).