Binder-free Ti3C2Tx MXene-assisted CoFe-LDH as highly stable bifunctional electrocatalyst for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions under high current density

Electrochemical water splitting is a potential method for sustainable hydrogen production. Achieving efficient and durable bifunctional electrocatalysts for alkaline water splitting remains challenging due to sluggish OER/HER kinetics and a reliance on noble metals. Here, we introduce MX-CoFe/EMN, a binder-free hybrid electrocatalyst fabricated by sequential electrodeposition of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene integrated CoFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets onto nickel foam. Combining CoFe LDH with MXene, which serves as both conductive scaffold and active component, yields beneficial interfacial electronic interactions, enhanced charge transfer, and a high density of active sites. In 1.0 M KOH, MX-CoFe/EMN shows low overpotentials of 260 mV (OER) and 279 mV (HER) at ±100 mA cm −2 , small Tafel slopes 39 mV dec −1 (OER), 68 mV dec −1 (HER), and excellent durability of over 80 h at ±500 mA cm −2 . These findings demonstrate a scalable electrodepositin-based approach for developing highly active and durable non-noble-metal electrocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen generation.