In-based coordination polymer-derived carbon nanoribbons with abundant CoP nanoparticles in carbon nanotubes for water oxidation

The sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in overall electrocatalytic water splitting poses a significant challenge in hydrogen production. A series of transition metal phosphides are emerging as promising electrocatalysts, effectively modulating the charge distribution of surrounding atoms for OER. In this study, a highly efficient OER electrocatalyst (CoP-CNR-CNT) was successfully synthesized through the pyrolysis and phosphatization of a Co-doped In-based coordination polymer, specifically InOF-25. This process resulted in evenly dispersed CoP nanoparticles encapsulated in coordination polymer-derived carbon nanoribbons. The synthesized CoP-CNR-CNT demonstrated a competitive OER activity with a smaller overpotential (η10) of 295.7 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a satisfactory long-term stability compared to the state-of-the-art RuO2 (η10 = 353.7 mV). The high OER activity and stability can be attributed to the high conductivity of the carbon network, the abundance of CoP particles, and the intricate nanostructure of nanoribbons/nanotubes. This work provides valuable insights into the rational design and facile preparation of efficient non-precious metal-based OER electrocatalysts from inorganic–organic coordination polymers, with potential applications in various energy conversion and storage systems.