Electrospun nanofiber electrocatalysts: tailoring advanced architectures for oxygen evolution reactions

Abstract

Electrospinning technology has emerged as a pivotal platform for designing high-performance oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts, due to its unparalleled capability to fabricate nanostructures with tunable morphologies and compositions. This review systematically summarizes fundamental principles of electrospinning and recent advances in electrospun catalysts for the OER, emphasizing structural engineering paradigms such as tubular, porous, hierarchical, composite, and high-entropy architectures. Despite compelling demonstrations of efficacy at laboratory scales, significant hurdles persist in achieving scalable manufacturing, cost efficiency, and long-term operational stability under industrial conditions. Future efforts should focus on developing low-cost precursors and high-throughput fabrication processes, employing in situ/operando characterization to unravel dynamic catalytic mechanisms, and optimizing device integration for practical applications. Electrospinning technology has significant potential to deliver next-generation OER catalysts that combine efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness, accelerating their practical applications.