Metal-organic framework derived CeO₂/C nanorod arrays directly grown on nickel foam as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for OER

In recent decades, electrochemical water splitting has caught researcher's attention for cost effective and green way to meet world's energy requirement. In present work, rod structured hierarchical cerium oxide/C derived from metal organic framework (MOF) electrocatalyst was synthesized via hydrothermal route directly grown on nickel foam (NF) for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 M KOH solution. The fabricated electrocatalysts were characterized via different analytical techniques to analyze the morphology, crystallinity and oxidation states. The electrochemical performances of the synthesized materials were investigated exhibiting outstanding OER performances, with low over potential of 297 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA/cm². The electrocatalyst also attains low Tafel slope (46 mV/dec) provides the way of electron transfer with long term stability (1000 cyclic voltammetry cycles and 15 h) chronoamperometry. These all results suggest that cerium oxide derived from MOF could be used as substitution for noble metal catalysts to develop promising, new and active electrocatalyst.