Novel FeNiP–FeNi–C nanofiber as an outstanding electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

Developing stable, highly active, and economical non-precious metal catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has been highly demanded in the new energy field since it can meet the industrial demands of large-scale electrocatalytic water splitting . A novel FeP/Ni 2 P/Fe 0.64 Ni 0.36 /C (FeNiP–FeNi–C) nanofiber was prepared by electrospinning and high-temperature phosphating. Notably, the good dispersion of FeP, Ni 2 P, and FeNi alloy nanoparticles in the nanocarbon fiber greatly increased the number of electroactive sites, and the synergistic effect between the FeP/Ni 2 P heterogeneous interface and FeNi alloy significantly improved the inherent activity of each site. Moreover, the carbon nanofibers enhanced the long-term durability of the catalyst by preventing the corrosion of the FeP, Ni 2 P, and FeNi alloy particles. Therefore, the optimal FeNiP–FeNi–C catalyst revealed exceptionally high OER activity, with overpotentials of 364 mV and 236 mV at 50 mA cm −2 and 10 mA cm −2 respectively, and the slope of Tafel of 61.00 mV·dec −1 . This catalyst performs significantly better than commercial RuO 2 catalysts in alkaline electrolytes . The results of this study offer a novel perspective for the mass production of non-precious metal OER high-efficiency electrocatalysts .