Synergistic enhancement of the oxygen evolution reaction by MoSx and sulphate on amorphous polymetallic oxide nanosheets

Abstract

To alleviate the energy crisis and achieve the transformation of renewable energy sources, developing low-cost, highly efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts for water splitting has aroused great concern. Here, a facile one-step solvothermal strategy was applied to fabricate amorphous iron–cobalt–molybdenum oxide flakes containing MoS_x and sulphate (FCMOS), which reveals a low overpotential of 260 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm⁻², together with a lower Tafel slope (47 mV dec⁻¹), large electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) as well as wonderful durability. The excellent OER performance could be attributed to the acceleration of the reaction *OH → *O + *H by MoS_x, optimization of the deprotonation of *OOH by sulfate, and the synergistic polymetallic effect.