Empowering multicomponent alloys with unique nanostructure for exceptional oxygen evolution performance through self-replenishment

Abstract

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts suffer from degradation under harsh oxygen evolution conditions, especially at large current densities, which is a longstanding challenge when developing OER catalysts for industrial applications. Here, we report ultra-stable multicomponent alloys with outstanding OER performance, created by forming two-layered nanostructures in noble metal-free multicomponent alloys, which boost activity and stability simultaneously through a counterintuitive parallel-mechanism strategy. The outer multicomponent amorphous oxide layer endows compelling OER activity, while the underneath layer affords dynamic replenishment capability for sustainable performance (working stably at least 1,600 h at 500 mA cm⁻²) in alkaline electrolytes. More appealing is that the catalyst can be easily revitalized, significantly extending its service durability and reducing its cost. This finding can be applied to develop other cost-efficient catalysts with considerable potential for industrial applications, offering a design paradigm to break the activity-stability trade-off of electrocatalysts.