Photo-assisted chargeability of hydrogen storage alloy/(In0.9Cr0.1)NbO4 : NiO electrode in KOH solution

Cr-doped InNbO4 powder was synthesized using a solid-state reaction and then loaded with 1.0 wt.% NiO on the particle surface. The powder was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrometry. The (In0.9Cr0.1)NbO4 : NiO showed a novel photocatalysis performance with obvious absorption in the visible light region. The Mm (Ni3.6Mn0.4Al0.3Co0.7)/(In0.9Cr0.1)NbO4 : NiO photoelectrode was then fabricated and its photo-assisted electrochemical behaviour was investigated. The electrode exhibited the obvious photo-assisted chargeable properties in KOH solution. The high photocatalysed activity may result from the increase in visible light absorption induced by Cr3+ doping and the higher degree of charge carrier separation induced by NiO particles loading on the Cr-InNbO4 particle surface.