Co₃(hexaamino dipyrazinoquinoxaline)₂: Highly conductive and robust two-dimensional Aza-based cobalt metal-organic framework as an efficient electrocatalyst for acidic oxygen evolution

Highly active and durable electrocatalysts for acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are highly desired for the application of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. Herein, a robust 2D Aza-based Co₃(HADQ = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaamine dipyrazino quinoxaline)₂ metal-organic framework (MOF) with high catalytic activity and durability for the acidic OER with significant advancement in clean energy technology is demonstrated which opens up the new possibilities for improving the efficiency and sustainability of various electrochemical processes, contributing to the broader goal of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and promoting the use of renewable energy sources. This novel 2D Aza-base MOF displays an extremely high conductivity of 8385.7 S/m with a vertically sharp increase in anodic current observed at an onset potential (E_onset) of 1434 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², demonstrating an outstanding performance in the acidic medium (pH < 2). The as-prepared Co₃(HADQ)₂ MOF is highly stable in acidic conditions and can act as a model catalyst to gain a deep understand the deep mechanism of acidic OER due to its well-defined and tunable structure, which is also confirmed by using density functional theory (DFT).