Synergistic effect of trimetallic selenides (Co, Fe, Ni)Se2/NF for enhanced electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction and urea oxidation reaction

Abstract

A trimetallic selenide electrocatalyst (Co, Fe, Ni)Se₂ supported on nickel foam (NF) has been successfully synthesized for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR). The catalyst was fabricated through a two-step strategy involving the formation of metal–organic framework (MOF) precursors followed by a selenization reaction. The optimized (Co, Fe, Ni)Se₂/NF-3 : 1 exhibited remarkable OER activity with an overpotential as low as 170 mV to achieve 10 mA cm⁻², along with excellent stability over 1000 cycles. Its superior UOR performance with even lower overpotential further demonstrates promise for urea-assisted energy-saving hydrogen production. The enhanced electrocatalytic performance originates from the synergistic electronic modulation between Co, Fe, and Ni, the rough surface morphology facilitating mass and charge transport, and the highly conductive NF substrate enabling efficient exposure of active sites. This work provides valuable insights into the design of efficient multimetallic selenide electrocatalysts for sustainable electrochemical energy conversion.