In situ decomposition of metal-organic frameworks into ultrathin nanosheets for the oxygen evolution reaction

• Published in: Nano research 2016-06, Vol.9 (6), p.1856-1865
• Main Authors: He, Kai, Cao, Zhen, Liu, Ruirui, Miao, Ya, Ma, Houyi, Ding, Yi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry and Materials Science; Clean energy; Clean technology; Condensed Matter Physics; Controllability; Decomposition; Economics; Electrocatalysts; Energy consumption; Energy technology; Evolution; Fabrication; Hydroxides; Materials Science; Metal-organic frameworks; Nanosheets; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology; Oxygen; Oxygen evolution reactions; Research Article; Strategy; 分解水; 原位; 析氧反应; 氢氧化物; 纳米催化剂; 超薄; 金属有机骨架; 铱催化剂
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-016-1078-x

The oxygen evolution reaction （OER） is a pivotal process for water-splitting and many other energy technologies involving oxygen electrodes. Herein, a new synthesis strategy is proposed to prepare OER catalysts based on a simple yet flexible in situ decomposition of Co-based acetate hydroxide metal-organic frameworks （MOFs）. This process allows straightforward fabrication of various 2D hydroxide ultrathin nanosheets （UNSs） with excellent component controllability. The as-obtained Co-based hydroxide UNSs demonstrate superior catalytic activity for the OER due to the exposure of numerous active sites. In particular, the CoNi hydroxide UNSs exhibit low overpotentials （r/） of 324 and 372 mV at current densities of 10 and 100 mA-cm-2, respectively; a large turnover frequency （TOF） of 0.16 s-~ at T/= 380 mV; and a small Tafel slope of 33 mV.dec-~ in an alkaline environment. Importantly, these values are superior to those of the state-of-the- art IrO2 commercial electrocatalyst. This facile strategy enables the exploration of more efficient and economic OER electrocatalysts with various constituents and opens a promising avenue for large-scale fabrication of functional nanocatalysts for use in clean ener~：v technologies.