Teaching Heterogeneous Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation with Nickel- and Cobalt-Based Catalysts Using Cyclic Voltammetry and Python']Python Simulation

An integrated inorganic chemistry laboratory experiencefocusingon heterogeneous electrocatalysis with nickel (Ni)- and cobalt (Co)-basedelectrocatalysts is designed for upper-division, major-level chemistrystudents. In this laboratory, students will be guided through thefabrication of an indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass working electrode,electrodeposition of the nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)(2)) andcobalt hydroxide (Co(OH)(2)) electrocatalysts on the ITOworking electrodes, and the electrochemical characterization of theelectrocatalysts. Students will investigate the electrocatalytic oxygenevolution reaction (OER) with electrocatalysts Ni(OH)(2) andCo(OH)(2) in an alkaline electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry(CV) is the major experimental technique students will apply to measurethe performances of different electrocatalysts on the OER activities.Additionally, a Python-based simulation of the cyclic voltammogramswill be applied to help students gain more insights about the interpretationof the cyclic voltammograms of reversible one-electron redox reactions.