Heterostructured MOF-derived Cobalt Sulfo-Boride: Capable of electrolyzing cow urine for sustainable H2 production

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The investigation of efficient and durable electrocatalysts for urea-assisted H 2 production is a vital strategy to cut down the energy consumption linked to conventional water electrolysis. This study reports the development of a MOF-derived Cobalt Sulfo-Boride grown on Nickel Foam (MD-CoSB/NF) by a two-step strategy involving sulfurization followed by boronation. This approach preserves the MOF-derived porous architecture while modifying it into a hetero-structured composite comprising Co 9 S 8 nanosheets and CoB nanoparticles. The MD-CoSB/NF catalyst utilizes the synergy between the dual non-metal dopants (B and S) to produce bifunctional catalytic performance in an alkaline urea electrolyte medium, demanding low potentials of 1.33 V for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) and 207 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) to achieve a current density of 100 mA cm −2 . This enhanced performance is associated with an elevated electrochemically active surface area, boosted charge transfer kinetics, and balanced adsorption and desorption behavior of reaction intermediates. The electrochemical analyses suggest that sulfur and boron incorporation synergistically modulate the interfacial electronic environment and reaction kinetics, resulting in improved charge transfer and enhanced UOR performance. Additionally, the electrocatalyst displayed impressive durability and stability under dynamic conditions, maintaining high activity in alkaline cow urine, achieving a modest cell voltage of 1.48 V at 100 mA cm −2 , and maintaining stability over a 100 h duration in a two-electrode configuration. The current work offers an effective way of designing non-metal-doped MOF-derived electrocatalysts for efficient hydrogen production and wastewater valorization.