Novel FeNi-Based Nanowires Network Catalyst Involving Hydrophilic Channel for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Developing novel, efficient, and low-cost 3D FeNi-based oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts with the special hydrophilic channel is still a challenge for improving hydrogen production efficiency. Herein, a novel 3D ethoxy substituted FeNi oxalate (ENWs-FeNi-C₂O₄) nanowires network catalyst with hydrophilic channels is reported firstly, which shows an outstanding OER activity with a low overpotential (215 mV at 10 mA cm⁻²) and small Tafel slope (54.5 mV dec⁻¹). OER catalytic mechanism indicates that the OH adsorption step and O₂ bubble diffusion step of OER reaction process can be significantly improved due to the special hydrophilic channels, and the ethoxy as an interlayer ligand not only expands the interlayer distance of layered FeNi (oxy) hydroxide true active species but modulates its electronic structure, promoting the *OOH formation step, and thus exhibiting the outstanding OER performance. This work provides a novel idea for the preparation of novel and efficient OER electro-catalysts with special 3D structures.