CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF as highly efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution and urea oxidation reactions at high current densities

The advancement of an affordable and highly effective catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential to enhance the performance of overall water splitting (OWS). Here, we report a highly efficient nickel foam (NF)-supported CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF heterostructure catalyst for OER. The CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF heterostructure catalyst contain amorphous phase CoFe(OH)x and crystalline Co3O4, and the synergistic interaction between the two different phases reduces the charge transfer resistance, accelerates the kinetic processes of electrocatalysis and makes the catalysts exhibit excellent catalytic performance. In 1.0 M KOH solution, an overpotential (η) of merely 262 mV is needed to attain a current density of 100 mA cm−2. Even at high current densities demanded for commercial applications, the overpotentials remain very low (η500 = 291 mV, η1000 = 319 mV). The catalytic activity of CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF has exceeded that of most non-noble metal OER catalysts documented in the literature. Furthermore, the CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF catalyst demonstrates superior catalytic stability to OER, with only a 23 mV potential increase after 24 h of stability testing at a high current density of 500 mA cm−2. Owing to the heterostructure, the CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF catalyst also exhibits excellent catalytic performance for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR), and the use of UOR instead of OER at the anode of OWS significantly reduces the cell voltage, thereby reducing the electrolytic energy consumption. The findings in this work offer precious insights into the design of OWS anode catalysts and their important applications in industrial water electrolysis. These insights are crucial for advancing the development of highly efficient and sustainable water electrolysis processes, which is essential for the production of green hydrogen and other valuable chemicals. [Display omitted] •Nickel foam supported CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4 heterostructure catalyst is synthesized.•CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF exhibits excellent activity for OER at high current densities.•CoFe(OH)x-Co3O4/NF can maintain excellent catalytic stability for more than 24 h.•UOR can replace OER in combination with HER for energy-efficient H2 production.