RuO2/FeCo2O4 as an efficient oxygen evolution reaction catalyst in alkaline medium

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a four-electron-proton reaction requiring a large overpotential. In order to improve the electrocatalytic activity of iron-based OER electrocatalysts, the overpotential must be reduced in order to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Herein, FeCo LDH, FeCo 2 O 4 , RuO 2 /FeCo 2 O 4 , and Ru/CoFe LDH are synthesized on carbon cloth (CC) by a simple hydrothermal and annealing technique. The materials are characterized systematically, and their electrocatalytic OER properties are evaluated in detail. RuO 2 /FeCo 2 O 4 delivers superior OER performance in 1 M KOH, such as a low onset potential 1.55 V at a current density of 10 mA/cm −2 , a Tafel slope of 85.2 mV/dec −1 , as well as robust stability. The Mott-Schottky analysis reveals that the built-in electric field accelerates charge transfer and enhances the catalytic activity of RuO 2 /FeCo 2 O 4 .