Hybrids of Cobalt/Iron Phosphides Derived from Bimetal–Organic Frameworks as Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

The electrochemical splitting of water, as an efficient and large-scale method to produce H 2, is still hindered by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. Considering the synergetic effect of the different metal sites with coordination on the surface of electrocatalysts, the hybrids of Co/Fe phosphides (denoted as Co-Fe-P) is prepared by one-step phosphorization of CoFe metal–organic frameworks for the first time as highly efficient electrocatalysts for OER. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of Co and Fe, the high valence of Co ions induced by strongly electronegative P and N and the large electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) originated from exposed nanowires on the surface of Co/Fe phosphides, the resultant Co-Fe-P-1.7 exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic performances for OER in 1.0 M KOH, affording an overpotential as low as 244 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm 2, a small Tafel slope of 58 mV/dec, and good stability, which is superior to that of the state-of-the-art OER electrocatalysts. In addition, the two-electrode cell with Co-Fe-P-1.7 modified Ni foam as anode and cathode in an alkaline electrolyte, respectively, exhibits the decomposition potential of ca. 1.60 V at a current density of 10 mA/cm 2 and excellent stability.