Cobalt selenides, such as Co3Se4, are promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), but their synthesis via pyrolysis is hindered by the redox sensitivity of selenium. Here, we report a strategy to overcome this challenge by employing a three-dimensional (3D) metal–organic framework (MOF), Co3(BTC)2(Ade)2·DMF·H2O (Co-BTC-Adenine MOF), as a precursor. The Co-BTC-Adenine MOF, synthesized solvothermally, featured a paddlewheel-type network with one-dimensional (1D) channels and was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Upon pyrolysis at 600 °C, a Co3Se4-based composite (Co3Se4@600) embedded in an N-doped carbon matrix was obtained. This composite exhibited a low overpotential of 235 mV at 10 mA cm–2, a Tafel slope of 61 mV dec–1, and excellent durability for over 68 h in alkaline media. The enhanced OER performance is attributed to the porous hybrid architecture, improved conductivity, and synergistic interactions between Co3Se4 and the carbon support. This work presented a temperature-controlled route for fabricating robust, nonprecious OER electrocatalysts from MOF precursors.
Pradhan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.