One-step electrodeposited FeCoW hydroxide as a superior and durable catalyst for electrocatalytic water oxidation.

Electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is hampering the development of hydrogen production on a large scale, accompanied with difficulties in achieving high current density (>1 A cm-2) and poor stability for current catalysts. Herein, the FeCoW hydroxides supported on Ni foam (FeCoW/NF) are synthesized via a simple and controllable electrodeposition method, which deliver the high current density of 1.28 A cm-2 at the 770-mV overpotential vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), together with steady operation at 100 mA cm-2 for 100 h in 1 M KOH. Moreover, the as-prepared FeCoW/NF electrocatalyst possesses an ultralow overpotential of 360 mV vs RHE to drive oxygen evolution reaction for the current density of 100 mA cm-2, outperforming most current transition metal-based catalysts. This work enables opportunities in exploring promising paths to achieve non-noble electrocatalysts for scale-up water spitting at industrial current. [Display omitted] • Synthesize FeCoW hydroxides via facile one-step electrodeposition. • Exhibit overpotential of 300 mV to reach 10 mA cm−2 for OER. • Achieve high current activity of 1 A cm−2 at ultralow overpotential of 650 mV. • Operate 100 h at 100 mA cm−2 with negligible attenuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]