Nickel(ii) complexes with 14-membered bis-thiosemicarbazide and bis-isothiosemicarbazide ligands: synthesis, characterization and catalysis of oxygen evolution reaction

Author(s)
Iuliana Besleaga, Anastasia A. Fesenko, Anup Paul, Biljana Šljukić, Peter Rapta, Armando J.L. Pombeiro, Anatoly D. Shutalev, Vladimir B. Arion
Abstract

Design and development of novel, low-cost and efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media is crucial for lowering the reaction overpotential and thus decreasing the energy input during the water electrolysis process. Herein, we present the synthesis of new 14-membered bis-thiosemicarbazide and bis-isothiosemicarbazide macrocycles and their nickel(ii) complexes characterized by spectroscopic techniques (1H and 13C NMR, IR, UV-vis), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, single crystal X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and cyclic voltammetry. Finally, the activity of nickel(ii) complexes towards OER is reported. NiIILSEt delivered a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at the lowest overpotential of 350 mV with the lowest Tafel slope of 93 mV dec−1. The high performance of NiIILSEt might be attributed to its high surface area and thus abundant active sites with the observed low charge-transfer resistance enabling the effective current flow through the electrocatalyst. Square-planar coordination geometry and increment in Ni oxidation state are believed to favor its OER performance. Beside high activity towards OER, NiIILSEt demonstrated excellent long-term stability with continuous operation, advocating its possible application in commercial systems.

Organisation(s)
Department of Inorganic Chemistry
External organisation(s)
Russian Academy of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular chemistry
Journal
Dalton Transactions
Volume
53
Pages
15826-15841
No. of pages
16
ISSN
1477-9226
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/d4dt02182g
Publication date
2024
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
104003 Inorganic chemistry
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Inorganic Chemistry
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/00b2b374-8a86-4a80-84c0-df7d922f5bfa