Investigation on the Component Evolution of a Tetranuclear Nickel-Cluster-Based Metal−Organic Framework in an Electrochemical Oxidation Reaction

Xiao Wang, † Bo Li, † Ya-Pan Wu,* Alkiviadis Tsamis, Hong-Guang Yu, Shan Liu, Jun Zhao, Yong-Shuang Li, and Dong-Sheng Li*

Understanding the active species derived from metalorganic frameworks (MOFs) plays a vital role in the fabrication of highly efficient and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts.Herein, a new alkaline-stable 3D nickel metal−organic framework (Ni-MOF), containing a 1D rod-packing chain structure fused with a tetranuclear nickel cluster [Ni 4 (μ 3 -OH) 2 ], is used as a target material to explore its OER properties. The electrocatalytic activities of pure Ni-MOF and hybrid materials made from Ni-MOF with different acetylene black loaded electrodes, such as glassy carbon, fluorine-doped tin oxide, and nickel foam, have been evaluated. Further analysis unravels that the enhanced OER performance might be attributed to the synergistic interactions of two catalytic active species between in situ formed β-Ni(OH) 2 and a tetranuclear Ni 4 (μ 3 -OH) 2 cluster in Ni-MOF. The findings will shed fresh light on the fabrication of MOF-derived catalysts for efficient electrochemical energy conversion.