Advanced LDH-MOF derived bimetallic NiCoP electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation reaction

Design and synthesis of hierarchical electrocatalysts with abundant active sites is an effective approach to improve electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation. Hierarchical LDH-MOF derived NiCo-bimetallic phosphide (NiCo-MOF-P) has been tested for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in alkaline solution. Electrodeposited NiCo-LDH gives extra chemical and structural stability for MOF to avoid accumulation. Obtained LDH-MOF hybrid composite was further surface functionalized by selective phosphorization to enhance electrocatalytic activity by generating more active sites. The NiCo-MOF-P electrocatalyst showed current density 170 mA cm-2 at scan rate of 10 mV s-1 with remarkable long term stability in 0.5 M methanol in 1 M KOH at 1.54 V. The high electrocatalytic activity of NiCo-MOF-P electrocatalyst towards methanol oxidation is mainly associated with synergistic effect of bimetallic element (Ni and Co), high surface area and facilitated charge-transfer due to binder free growth on Ni foam.