Boosting the activity of Prussian-blue analogue as efficient electrocatalyst for water and urea oxidation

Abstract

The design and fabrication of intricate hollow architectures as cost-effective and dual-function electrocatalyst for water and urea electrolysis is of vital importance to the energy and environment issues. Herein, a facile solvothermal strategy for construction of Prussian-blue analogue (PBA) hollow cages with an open framework was developed. The as-obtained CoFe and NiFe hollow cages (CFHC and NFHC) can be directly utilized as electrocatalysts towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and urea oxidation reaction (UOR) with superior catalytic performance (lower electrolysis potential, faster reaction kinetics and long-term durability) compared to their parent solid precursors (CFC and NFC) and even the commercial noble metal-based catalyst. Impressively, to drive a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline solution, the CFHC catalyst required an overpotential of merely 330 mV, 21.99% lower than that of the solid CFC precursor (423 mV) at the same condition. Meanwhile, the NFHC catalyst could deliver a current density as high as 100 mA cm−2 for the urea oxidation electrolysis at a potential of only 1.40 V, 24.32% lower than that of the solid NFC precursor (1.85 V). This work provides a new platform to construct intricate hollow structures as promising nano-materials for the application in energy conversion and storage.