The activation-free electroless deposition of NiFe over carbon cloth as a self-standing flexible electrode towards overall water splitting

Abstract

Herein is described an efficient and straightforward approach to formulate a self-supported flexible electrode, depositing NiFeS and NiFeP over carbon cloth via convenient electroless deposition, thus eradicating traditionally expensive sensitisation and activation procedures. As-prepared NiFeS@OCC and NiFeP@OCC demonstrate good activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and reach a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² at low overpotentials of 220 and 270 mV, respectively, demonstrating comparable activity to the state-of-the-art catalyst RuO₂. Moreover, both catalysts retain high OER activities even under various deformations. Both catalysts also exhibit appreciable activity when tested for use in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The encouraging bifunctional activity and stability of these simply designed flexible electrodes under full cell conditions for overall water splitting suggest great potential for practical energy conversion applications that require good activity with high flexibility.