Electrocatalytic activity of crystalline Ni-Co-M (M = Cr, Mn, Cu) alloys on the oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline environment

Ternary Ni60Co30M10 (M 1⁄4 Cr, Mn, Cu) crystalline alloys have been characterized by means of microstructural and electrochemical techniques in view of their possible applications as electrocatalytic materials for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The electrochemical efficiency of the electrodes has been studied on the basis of electrochemical data obtained from steady-state polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques in 1 M NaOH solution at 298 K. The results were compared with those obtained on a Ni60Co40 commercial alloy. The overall experimental data indicate that alloying Ni-Co with Cr, Mn and Cu leads to an increase of electrocatalytic activity in oxygen evolution with respect to the Ni-Co alloy. High catalytic efficiencies were achieved on Ni60Co30Mn10 and Ni60Co30Cr10 electrodes, the latter being the best electrocatalyst for the OER.