Accelerating structure reconstruction to form NiOOH in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for boosting the oxygen evolution reaction

Abstract

Structural reconstruction of electrocatalysts to generate metal hydroxide/oxyhydroxide species is critical for an efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER), but the controllable regulation of the reconstruction process still remains a challenge. Given the designable nature of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), herein, we have reported a localized structure disordering strategy to accelerate the structural reconstruction of Ni-BDC to generate NiOOH for boosting the OER. The Ni-BDC nanosheets were modified by Fe³⁺ and urea to form cracks, which could promote the accessibility of the Ni sites by the electrolyte and thus promote the reconstruction to form NiOOH. In addition, the interaction between Ni²⁺ and Fe³⁺ allows the electron flow from Ni²⁺ to Fe³⁺, further enhancing the NiOOH generation. As a result, the optimized sample exhibits excellent OER activity with a small overpotential of 251 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², which is superior to most of the MOF-based OER catalysts reported previously. This work provides a controllable strategy to regulate the structural reconstruction for promoting the OER, which could provide important guidance for the development of more efficient OER electrocatalysts.