Issue 15, 2021

Nickel-iron layered double hydroxides for an improved Ni/Fe hybrid battery-electrolyser

Abstract

The transition to renewable electricity sources and green feedstock implies the development of electricity storage and conversion systems to both stabilise the electricity grid and provide electrolytic hydrogen. We have recently introduced the concept of a hybrid Ni/Fe battery-electrolyser (battolyser) for this application1. The hydrogen produced during the Ni/Fe cell charge and continued electrolysis can serve as chemical feedstock and a fuel for long-term storage, while the hybrid battery electrodes provide short term storage. Here, we present Ni–Fe layered double hydroxides (NiFe-LDHs) for enhancing the positive electrode performance. The modified Ni(OH)2 material capacity, high rate performance and stability have been tested over a large range of charge rates (from 0.1C to 20C) over 1000 cycles. The Ni–Fe layered double hydroxides allow the capacity per nickel atom to be multiplied by 1.8 in comparison to the conventional β-Ni(OH)2 material which suggests that the nickel content can be reduced by 45% for the same capacity. This reduction of the nickel content is extremely important as this presents the most costly resource. In addition, Fe doped Ni(OH)2 shows improved ionic and electronic conductivity, OER catalytic activity outperforming the benchmark (Ir/C) catalyst, and long term cycling stability. The implementation of this Fe doped Ni(OH)2 material in the Ni/Fe hybrid battery-electrolyser will bring both electrolysis and battery function forward at reduced material cost and energy loss.

Graphical abstract: Nickel-iron layered double hydroxides for an improved Ni/Fe hybrid battery-electrolyser

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 yan 2021
Accepted
18 may 2021
First published
25 may 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Mater. Adv., 2021,2, 5076-5088

Nickel-iron layered double hydroxides for an improved Ni/Fe hybrid battery-electrolyser

A. Iranzo and F. M. Mulder, Mater. Adv., 2021, 2, 5076 DOI: 10.1039/D1MA00024A

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