MXene-Supported FeCo-LDHs as Highly Efficient Catalysts for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Water oxidation is the rate-determining step for water splitting. The layered double hydroxides (LDHs) play an important role in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Combining with some two-dimensional (2D) materials with high surface area and electrical conductivity can greatly improve the performance of water oxidation. Herein, we report a composite material that FeCo layered double hydroxides (FeCo-LDHs) were combined with single layer MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x). The single-layer MXene takes full advantage of the more active sites, reflecting higher electrochemical activity than other forms of MXene (nanofiber and multilayer). The resulting FeCo-LDH/MXene hybrid provides high electron transfer ability and electrochemically active surface area, leading to an enhancement of catalytic activity and durability for OER. An extremely low overpotential of 268 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² was achieved, which was lower than Graphene or MWCNT combined with FeCo-LDH.