Modulating the electronic structure of CoFeCNO 2D nanosheets via Ni incorporation for efficient electrochemical oxygen evolution

Abstract

Electronic modulation of electrocatalytic active sites by heteroatom doping has been widely recognized as an effective synthetic strategy to further enhance the intrinsic activity of oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. Incorporation of heteroatoms with different atomic radius and electronegativity into the material's lattice helps to induce subtle distortions in the material's lattice and redistribution of electron density, thereby precisely changing the electronic structure at the atomic level and enhancing catalysis active. By adjusting the ratio of metal and non-metal elements, a series of CoFeNiCNO sheet-like oxygen evolution electrocatalysts were prepared. Electrochemical characteristics showed that the overpotential of bimetallic CoFeNiCNO catalysts corresponding to 10 mA cm−2 only needs 290 mV, the Tafel slope is 98 mV dec−1, and it also has superior electrochemical stability in alkaline solution compared with that of bimetallic CoFeCNO catalysts. The doping of Ni ions in the material is closely related to the two-dimensional sheet structure of the material. This work provides a new idea for the preparation of low-cost nanosheet electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution, which is expected to be applied on a large scale in production and life.