INSITU RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY STUDY OF THE NICKEL OXYHYDROXIDE ELECTRODE (NOE) SYSTEM

An in situ analysis using laser Raman microprobe spectroscopy was undertaken for an operating nickel oxyhydroxide electrode (NOE), which showed that the NOE was fully oxidized to γ-NiOOH, at positive polarizations, under the experimental conditions employed. A limited spectral library was constructed by preparing model compounds of the different phases of the hydroxides and oxyhydroxides of nickel and characterizing them with the use of laser Raman microprobe spectroscopy. A factor group analysis for the fundamental building block of all the polymorphs, β-Ni(OH)2, was also performed, and mode assignments were made for the infrared and Raman spectra.