Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Framework-Derived La2O3/NixPy Nanoparticles Embedded in Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon as Efficient Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Exploring non-noble metal electrocatalysts with high activity, elevated stability, and low cost is of great significance for efficient electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies. Herein, rare-earth metal-organic framework (LaNi-MOF)-derived three-dimensional La2O3/NixPy nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped porous carbon (La2O3/NixPy@NC) are rationally synthesized by a facile solvothermal method followed by pyrolysis and a low-temperature phosphating strategy. The highly conductive nitrogen-doped porous carbon and the synergistic effect between La2O3 and NixPy nanoparticles provide abundant active catalytic sites and enhance the electron mass transfer capability, which endows the La2O3/NixPy@NC catalyst with excellent oxygen evolution reaction activity. Moreover, the La2O3/NixPy@NC catalyst provides a low overpotential (eta 100 = 384 mV), which is superior to that of commercial RuO2 (eta 100 = 451 mV). More importantly, the introduction of La2O3 can not only effectively adjust the electronic structure and morphology of the catalyst but also significantly improve the long-term stability and durability of the La2O3/NixPy@NC electrocatalyst. This work provides an efficient strategy for the future design of highly efficient catalysts enriched with rare-earth species.