Trimetallic MOF-derived CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites as efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction

Abstract

We used sodium hydroxide-mediated approach and tannic acid etching to prepare hollow structured trimetallic MOF-derived CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites. Remarkably, the resulting CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites have large specific surface area and mesoporous structure, making their active sites more accessible and mass transfer more effective. More complex trimetallic components provide greater possibilities for further improving electrocatalytic performance. The CoFeNi/Z-P NC nanocomposites demonstrate notable enhancements for the OER, and 10 mA cm⁻² current density is achieved at a low overpotential of 244 mV, with a low Tafel slope of 66.2 mV dec⁻¹ and have good stability in alkaline solutions. In addition, as a cathode material for overall alkaline water splitting, CoFeNi/Z-P NC is better than RuO₂ with longer cycling stability.