Low-Temperature Magnetic Field-Assisted Synthesis of Highly Crystalline Fe(OH)<sub><i>x</i></sub> and Its Directed Carrier Transfer Effect under Optical-Magnetic Fields
Hong Wang, Yuan Dong, Jie Ying, Yuan Feng, Ziheng Zhu, Yuxuan Xiao, Ge Tian, Ling Shen, Wei Geng, Yi Lu, Si‐Ming Wu, Xiaoyu Yang
Abstract
Optical-magnetic field coupling technology provides an effective avenue for comprehensive enhancement of the overall performance of electrocatalytic reactions. However, this technology requires that the electrocatalysts possess good responsiveness to these fields. Moreover, the underlying mechanism for performance enhancement under an optical-magnetic field is also unknown. Herein, a low-temperature magnetic field-assisted electrodeposition method is reported to synthesize highly crystalline iron hydroxides on a nickel foam (Fe(OH) x /NF), which enables directed hole and electron transfer under optical-magnetic field-assisted electrocatalysis. The external field-assisted synthesis and directed transfer effects greatly improve the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance of the catalyst, reflected in a reduction of 63 mV in overpotential at 10 mA cm –2 (from 285 to 222 mV) and reliable stability. A new mechanism of “directed charge carrier (electron and hole) transfer” is proposed to elucidate the structural feature and functional enhancement of Fe(OH) x /NF for achieving the optical-magnetic synergistic effects in the OER process.