Ir nanoparticles decorated NiFe metal-organic framework as highly efficient and stable heterostructural electrocatalysts for overall seawater splitting

Developing a bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall seawater splitting is crucial for advancing sustainable hydrogen (H2) production. However, at industrial current densities, anodic chlorine chemical corrosion and cathodic sluggish hydrogen evolution kinetics will seriously hinder the system of seawater-to-H2. Herein, we present a heterojunction electrocatalyst synthesized via hydrothermal methods to create ultrathin NiFe-MOF nanosheets on nickel foam, followed by the deposition of Ir nanoparticles through a redox strategy (Ir@NiFe-MOF/NF). Ir@NiFe-MOF/NF demonstrates exceptional alkaline seawater oxidation and reduction properties, achieving a current density of 1000 mA cm−2 with overpotentials of 445 and 233 mV. Additionally, it requires only a voltage of 2.11 V to drive 250 mA cm−2 in a membrane electrode device and operates stably for 400 hours in alkaline seawater, surpassing other recently reported bifunctional electrocatalysts.