A mixed oxide-covered mesh electrode composed of NiCo 2 O 4 (MOME-NiCo 2 O 4 ) was prepared on a stainlesssteel substrate using thermal decomposition (slow-cooling rate method). Surface, bulk and electrochemical properties of MOME were studied using different techniques, namely scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CV) with determination of the electrochemical porosity (ϕ) and morphology factor (φ) parameters, quasi-stationary polarisation curves (PC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). SEM images revealed a good coverage of the metallic wires by a compact oxide layer (absence of cracks). XRD analysis confirmed the formation of the spinel NiCo 2 O 4 with the presence of NiO. The 'in situ' surface parameters denoted as ϕ and φ exhibited values of 0.39 and 0.33, respectively, revealing that the electrochemically active surface area is mainly confined to the 'outer/external' surface regions of the oxide layer. The PC was characterised by two Tafel slopes distributed in the low (b 1 = 46 mV dec −1 ) and high (b 2 = 59 mV dec −1 ) overpotential domains. The corresponding apparent exchange current densities were j 0(1) = (3.43 ± 0.11) × 10 −6 A cm −2 and j 0(2) = (6.70 ± 0.08) × 10 −6 A cm −2 , respectively. The EIS study accomplished in the low-overpotential domain revealed a Tafel slope (b 1 ) of 51 mV dec −1 . According to the spintrapping reaction using N,N-dimethyl-p-nitrosoaniline (RNO), the MOME-NiCo 2 O 4 electrode exhibited good performance for the generation of weakly adsorbed hydroxyl radicals (HO • ) during the OER in electrolyte-free water.Keywords Mixed oxide-covered mesh electrodes . Ni and Co oxides . Morphology factor and electrochemical porosity .
Generation of hydroxyl radicalsHighlights • Mixed oxide-covered mesh electrodes containing Ni and Co (MOME-NiCo 2 O 4 ) were fabricated using a stainless-steel support;• The morphology factor (φ) and electrochemical porosity (ϕ) parameters confirmed the formation of a compact oxide layer; • A good performance for the generation of hydroxyl radicals was verified during the oxygen evolution reaction in the electrolyte-free water;• The MOME-NiCo 2 O 4 electrode is a promising candidate for the electrochemical combustion of organic pollutants in the electrolyte-free water.