Highly Porous Metal–Organic Framework Entrapped by Cobalt Telluride–Manganese Telluride as an Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalyst

Abstract

The electrochemical conversion of oxygen holds great promise in the development of sustainable energy for various applications, such as water electrolysis, regenerative fuel cells, and rechargeable metal-air batteries. Oxygen electrocatalysts are needed that are both highly efficient and affordable, since they can serve as alternatives to costly precious-metal-based catalysts. This aspect is particularly significant for their practical implementation on a large scale in the future. Herein, highly porous polyhedronentrapped metal−organic framework (MOF)-assisted CoTe 2 /MnTe 2 heterostructure one-dimensional nanorods were initially synthesized using a simple hydrothermal strategy and then transformed into ZIF-67 followed by tellurization which was used as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The designed MOF CoTe 2 /MnTe 2 nanorod electrocatalyst exhibited superior activity for both OER (η = 220 mV@ 10 mA cm −2 ) and ORR (E 1/2 = 0.81 V vs RHE) and outstanding stability. The exceptional achievement could be primarily credited to the porous structure, interconnected designs, and deliberately created deficiencies that enhanced the electrocatalytic activity for the OER/ORR. This improvement was predominantly due to the enhanced electrochemical surface area and charge transfer inherent in the materials. Therefore, this simple and cost-effective method can be used to produce highly active bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts.

Electronically modulated bimetallic telluride nanodendrites atop 2D nanosheets using a vanadium dopant enabling a bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

“…Tellurides exhibit the highest electronic conductivity and more enhanced metallic properties than other chalcogenides due to their lower electronegativity (Te < Se < S < O). 21,22 Furthermore, tellurides boast better band alignment than selenides and sulfides. 23 As a result, the electron transfer process on TMT-based electrocatalysts is fast during electrochemical tests.…”