Electronic Structure Engineering of Bimetallic NiFe-MOF via One-Dimensional Tubular Assembly for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution

Abstract

The practical application of pristine metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in electrocatalysis is hindered by their limited conductivity and stability. Herein, a one-dimensional (1D) tubular superstructure of bimetallic NiFe-BDC nanorods (NiFe-BDC NTs) is constructed through an assembly strategy. This unique architecture provides abundant mesopores with a high specific surface area and efficient electron transport pathways, while the synergistic electronic interaction between Ni and Fe optimizes the local electronic configuration, significantly enhancing the intrinsic activity. As a result, the optimized NiFe-BDC NTs exhibit high OER activity with a low overpotential of 274 mV at 10 mA cm -2 and 355 mV at 50 mA cm -2 . When applied in water splitting systems, the NiFe-BDC NTs||Pt/C couple delivers a low cell voltage of 1.54 V at 10 mA cm -2 . Remarkably, in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer, it requires only 1.72 V to reach 1.0 A cm -2 at 60 °C and maintains stable operation for over 168 hours. This work demonstrates the great potential of structural engineering and electronic modulation in developing high-performance pristine MOF electrocatalysts.