Constructing NiCo/Fe₃O₄ Heteroparticles within MOF-74 for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reactions

Metal-organic frameworks (MOF) have recently emerged as versatile precursors to fabricate functional MOF derivatives for oxygen evolution reactions (OER). Herein, we developed a controlled partial pyrolysis strategy to construct robust NiCo/Fe₃O₄ heteroparticles within MOF-74 for efficient OER using trimetallic NiCoFe-MOF-74 as precursor. The partial pyrolysis method preserves the framework structure of MOF for effective substrates diffusion while producing highly active nanoparticles. The as-prepared NiCo/Fe₃O₄/MOF-74 delivered remarkably stable OER current with an overpotential as low as 238 mV at 10.0 mA cm⁻² and an Tafel slop of 29 mV/dec, outperforming those of pristine NiCoFe-MOF-74, totally decomposed MOF derivatives, and most reported non-noble metal based electrocatalysts. The key for the formation of NiCo/Fe₃O₄/MOF-74 nanostructures is that the metals can be decomposed from NiCoFe-MOF-74 in the order of Ni, Co, and Fe under controlled heat treatment. Density functional theory calculations reveals that the underlying NiCo promotes the OER activity of Fe₃O₄ through exchange stabilization of active oxygen species.