Templated fabrication of perfectly aligned metal-organic framework-supported iron-doped copper-cobalt selenide nanostructure on hollow carbon nanofibers for an efficient trifunctional electrode material

Considering the importance of sustainable energy conversion technologies, the robust development of high-performance tribunitial catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great significance. Herein, a multistep methodology to follow the synthesis of templated supported metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on iron-doped copper-cobalt selenide on hollow carbon nanofiber mats (Fe-doped MOF CuCoSe@HCNFs) is utilized as a trifunctional electrocatalyst. As a synthesis of nanoporous electrocatalysts, oxyhydroxide metals are commonly used as a sacrificial template for the development of a porous carbon network. The as-synthesized materials are completely characterized, showing that the templated MOFs exhibit a significant impact on the porous carbon network, surface area, surface defects, and interfacial charge transfer. The superior trifunctional electrocatalyst of the Fe-doped MOF CuCoSe@HCNF nanostructure possesses excellent electrochemical activity toward the OER with an overpotential of 260 mV @ 20 mA cm−2, HER with an overpotential of 181 mV @ 10 mA cm−2, and ORR E1/2 with a potential of 0.756 V vs RHE. The outstanding activities of the Fe-doped MOF CuCoSe@HCNF nanostructure are mainly due to their distinctive structural features, leading to favorable electron transfer between the electrode and electrolyte interface to achieve successful trifunctional water splitting electrocatalysis.