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Abstract
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In this study, the ternary-component nickel-zinc-iron layered double hydroxides (NixZnyFez-LDHs) were synthesized by co-precipitation process and characterized using scanning
electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, diffuse
reflectance spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The NixZnyFez-LDHs were
then used as the efficient electrocatalyst materials to fabricate the modified carbon paste
electrodes (CPEs) for water oxidation in neutral media. The effect of Zn2þ ions on the
electrocatalytic activity of the ternary-component NixZnyFez-LDHs modified CPE was
studied under suggested optimum condition. In this condition, the ternary-component
Ni2Zn0.5Fe-LDH modified CPE displayed improved electrocatalytic activity in comparison
with other ternary-component LDHs, and also binary-component LDHs, Ni2Fe-LDH and
ZnFe-LDH modified CPEs due to high crystallinity and low band gap energy which
enhanced the conductivity of the synthesized LDH. Furthermore, the ternary-component
Ni2Zn0.5Fe-LDH modified CPE had good structural stability with no significant deactivation of the electrocatalytic properties in neutral media after 13 h oxygen evolution reaction
at room temperature
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