Zn Doped FeCo Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoneedle Arrays with Partial Amorphous Phase for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Exploiting earth-abundant electrocatalysts with comparable high performance and stability to the benchmarking noble metal-based catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of fundamental importance for promising sustainable energy conversion and storage technologies. Herein, we report an in situ grown zinc doped cobalt–iron layered double hydroxide (ZnFeCo LDH) with a unique needle-like nanostructure and partial amorphous phase for highly efficient OER catalysts. Benefitting from the nanoneedle arrays structure, partial amorphous phase, tunable zinc doping, and surface trivalent cobalt ions, partly amorphous Zn doped FeCo LDH 1D nanoneedle arrays (PA-ZnFeCo LDH) exhibited superior electrocatalytic OER activity, with a small Tafel slope of 58.73 mV per decade, an exceptional overpotential of 221, 276, and 294 mV to drive 10, 100, and 300 mA cm–2, respectively, and long-term electrochemical stability of 100 000 s. This work offers insights into the rational design and synthesis of unique 1D non-noble metal hydroxide with partial amorphous phase as highly efficient OER electrocatalysis.