Mixed-Metal–Organic Framework Self-Template Synthesis of Porous Hybrid Oxyphosphides for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Developing an efficient, stable yet cost-effective electrocatalyst is the key link along the path to hydrogen fuels produced by water splitting. The current bottleneck in the water electrolysis technology is the sluggish oxygen-evolving reaction (OER) which is also central to the rechargeable metal–air batteries. Herein, we report a promising mixed-metal–organic framework (MMOF) self-template strategy to synthesize CoFe hybrid oxyphosphides with highly porous morphology. Aided by the porous hybrid bulk structure beneficial to fast-ion diffusion to abundant highly active sites, the as-synthesized Co 3 FeP x O exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward OER, with an overpotential of 291 mV at 10 mA cm –2 and a low Tafel slope of 85 mV dec –1 . With the underpinnings of MMOF maintaining the structural rigidity and stability, the material also showed long life for OER without discernible activity decay.