One-dimensional amorphous cobalt(ii) metal–organic framework nanowire for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract

To solve the problem of hydrogen utilization in water splitting, it is necessary to develop earth-abundant, productive, and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) instead of platinum-based metal catalysts. Here, a cobalt (Co) carbonate hydroxide@amorphous Co-metal–organic framework (CoCH@Co-MOF) core–shell nanowire is grown on carbon fiber paper using a wet-chemistry method for the HER in alkaline electrolyte. The CoCH@Co-MOF exhibits small overpotential, small Tafel slope, and large exchange current density in the HER because of its large electrochemical reaction surfaces. In addition, one-dimensional morphology is beneficial to charge conduction, and the amorphous MOF framework endows CoCH@Co-MOF with efficient catalytic activities. The CoCH@Co-MOF nanowire is therefore promising in the HER because of its low cost, high efficiency, excellent stability, and easy operation.