Trimetallic Spinel NiCo2-xFexO4 Nanoboxes for Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution

The development of efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for improving the efficiency of several electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices. Here, we report an elaborate design and synthesis of porous Co-based trimetallic spinel oxide nanoboxes (NiCo2-xFexO4 NBs) by a novel metal-organic framework engaged strategy, which involves chemical etching, cation exchange, and subsequent thermal oxidation processes. Owing to the structural and compositional advantages, the optimized trimetallic NiCo2-xFexO4 NBs (x is about 0.117) deliver superior electrocatalytic performance for OER with an overpotential of 274 mV at 10 mA cm(-2), a small Tafel slope of 42 mV dec(-1), and good stability in alkaline electrolyte, which is much better than that of Co-based bi/monometallic spinel oxides and even commercial RuO2.

Automated summary

The study successfully designed and synthesized optimized porous Co-based trimetallic spinel oxide nanoboxes with superior electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction. The structural and compositional advantages enable the nanoboxes to exhibit excellent performance in alkaline electrolyte.