Atomic layer deposition of NiOx: harnessing the potential of new precursor combinations for photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Vyshnav Kannampalli - , French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) (Author)
  • Marcel Schmickler - , Ruhr University Bochum, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Bruno Fabre - , Université de Rennes 1 (Author)
  • Ludovic Largeau - , Université Paris-Saclay (Author)
  • Antoine Seyeux - , Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Paris (Chimie ParisTech) (Author)
  • José Alvarez - , Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Saclay (Author)
  • Simon D. Elliott - , Schrödinger LLC (Author)
  • Anjana Devi - , Chair of Materials Chemistry (gB/IFW), Ruhr University Bochum, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Lionel Santinacci - , French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) (Author)

Abstract

This work presents the first report of thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of NiOx using two nickel precursors – Alanis™ and [Ni(ipki)2] – in combination with two different oxygen sources (H2O and O3), over a temperature range of 75–250 °C. The Alanis/O3 composition exhibited one of the highest growth rates per cycle (1.1–1.4 Å) and a broad ALD window between 100 and 200 °C. In contrast, the Alanis/H2O and [Ni(ipki)2]/O3 combinations yielded lower growth rates of 0.74 Å at 150 °C and 0.40 Å at 250 °C, respectively. Comprehensive structural, morphological, optical, and chemical characterisation revealed that the choice of precursor combination and the reaction temperature significantly impact the film composition, thereby strongly influencing its suitability for various applications. Notably, those parameters closely determined the photoelectrochemical performance and the stability of the Si/NiOx-based photoanode towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Photoelectrodes fabricated with Alanis/O3 at 200 °C demonstrate stability exceeding 24 hours and exhibit a remarkable OER onset potential of 1.15 V vs. RHE for a photocurrent density of 1 mA cm−2.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)971-987
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume14
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 6 Jan 2026
Peer-reviewedYes