FeCoNiMgB high-entropy boride powder with a fluffy cotton structure and enhanced activity in the oxygen evolution reaction

Abstract

Exploring efficient, low-cost electrocatalysts is critical for improving the efficiency of water splitting reactions. Noble-metal-based oxides exhibit high activities in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, their high cost and the lack of natural resources hinder their practical application. Therefore, in this study, we successfully synthesized an FeCoNiMgB high-entropy boride powder via a facile chemical reduction method for use as an OER catalyst in an alkaline medium. The FeCoNiMgB powder, with an ultrathin fluffy cotton structure, exhibited an excellent OER catalytic performance, affording an overpotential of 268 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm2 and a low Tafel slope of 42.9 mV/dec; this performance was superior to those of FeCoNiB, FeNiMgB, CoNiMgB, FeCoMgB, and commercial RuO2. The FeCoNiMgB powder also displayed remarkably stable catalytic properties for >72 h with no clear evidence of degradation. Finally, using theoretical calculations, the excellent OER performance of FeCoNiMgB was verified in terms of its adsorption and charge transfer energies and covalence. The performance and stability of FeCoNiMgB were equivalent or superior to those of several nanostructured catalysts, and thus, this study provided valuable insight into the design of efficient high-entropy boride materials.