In situ self-assembled macroporous interconnected nanosheet arrays of Ni-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate metal - organic framework on Ti mesh as high-performance oxygen evolution electrodes

Zehui Zhu; Weiguang Hu; Xiao Wu; Qinguo Zhang; Yan Hu; Qing Yan; Xuefei Wang; Weiyong Yuan

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.02.079

In situ self-assembled macroporous interconnected nanosheet arrays of Ni-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate metal - organic framework on Ti mesh as high-performance oxygen evolution electrodes

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Jun:639:274-283. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.02.079. Epub 2023 Feb 17.

Authors

Zehui Zhu¹, Weiguang Hu¹, Xiao Wu¹, Qinguo Zhang², Yan Hu², Qing Yan³, Xuefei Wang⁴, Weiyong Yuan⁵

Affiliations

¹ Ningbo Innovation Centre, Zhejiang University, Ningbo 315100, China; College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
² Ningbo Innovation Centre, Zhejiang University, Ningbo 315100, China.
³ School of Biological and Chemical Engineering, NingboTech University, Ningbo 315100, China.
⁴ Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China.
⁵ Ningbo Innovation Centre, Zhejiang University, Ningbo 315100, China; College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. Electronic address: wyyuan@zju.edu.cn.

PMID: 36805752
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.02.079

Abstract

Highly efficient metal-organic framework (MOF)-based oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts are desirable for water splitting, but their development remains challenging due to poor accessibility of coordinatively unsaturated metal (cum) sites and low intrinsic activity. A large-area three-dimensional (3-D) macroporous interconnected nanosheet array of Ni-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate has been in situ self-assembled on Ti mesh (TM) by using ethanol as the solvent and high-affinity oxide layer on TM to promote in situ nucleation. The obtained nanoarchitecture exhibits much superior catalytic activity compared to most reported catalysts including MOF-based catalysts, other precious-metal-free ones, and Ir/Ru-based ones. Additionally, this electrode undergoes no current decay after 300 cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles and can maintain at 250 mA cm^-2 for over 266 h. The excellent catalytic performance is mainly due to the 3-D macroporous and interconnected nanosheet array structure improving cum site exposure and charge transport and in situ activated cum cations enhancing OH^- adsorption. This work not only develops a facile and economical approach to synthesize 3-D macroporous interconnected MOF nanosheet arrays to simultaneously increase the number, exposure, and intrinsic activity of active sites and facilitate charge transport for high-performance eletrocatalysis, but provides scientific insights into the mechanisms for self-assembly of this unique nanoarchitecture and for the high OER performance.

Keywords: In situ self-assembly; Metal-organic frameworks; Nanosheet arrays; Oxygen evolution reaction; Three-dimensional electrodes.