Nanocomposite of nickel benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid metal organic framework with multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A robust and effective electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in water splitting

In the current era, the development of robust, eco-friendly, and highly efficient electrocatalysts for generating hydrogen energy by water electrolysis has become a major challenge. This work explains the electrocatalytic performance of cost-effective and amiable novel Ni-BTC-MWCNTs-a as an active and effective electrocatalyst for OER in alkaline media. The catalytic activity of the nanocomposite is increased by heat treatment at 400°C temperature for 3 h. Systematic morphological and structural characterization studies of solvothermal synthesized materials were carried out by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis techniques. Metal–organic framework (MOF)-based composites exhibit improved catalytic performance owing to the synergistic effect of Nickel BTC MOF, MWCNTs support, and high-temperature annealing (400°C). Among all as-synthesized materials, the annealed Ni-BTC-MWCNT-a exhibits admirable catalytic performance for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at low value for over potential (η) 243 m V, small Tafel slope value 57 mV dec⁻¹, smaller charge transfer resistance (0.274 Ω), and higher electrochemical active surface area (2000 cm²) with maximum durability for 23 h and utilized as auspicious alternate with excellent catalytic activity in water splitting OER process for producing hydrogen energy at large scale other than highly expensive electrocatalysts of Ir, Ru, Pd, and Pt oxides.