A pulse electrosynthesized nanoporous nickel oxyhydroxide-borate thin film in electro- and photoelectro-reforming of methanol for selective production of formate.

An nanoporous nickel oxyhydroxide-borate (NiBi) thin film, consisting of an aggregate of spherical particles self-assembled from NiBi nanopetals, has been synthesized using a simple and cost-effective pulse electrodeposition method without the addition of any surfactant, and demonstrated as an efficient, selective, and robust electrocatalyst in the electrochemical and photoelectrochemical reforming of methanol into formate.