Metal-organic frameworks-derived novel nanostructured electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction

Engineering cost-effective catalysts with exceptional performance for the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains crucial for the accelerated development of renewable energy techniques, and especially so, given the pivotal role of OER in water electrolysis. On the basis of the metal nodes (clusters) and organic linkers, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their derivatives are rapidly gaining ground in the fabrication of electrocatalysts, with promising catalytic activity and sound durability in OER, thanks to their controllable pore structures, abundant unsaturated active sites of metal ion, extensive specific surface area, as well as easily functionalized/modified surfaces. This review presents an in-depth understanding of the established progress of MOFs-derived materials for OER electrocatalysis. The material designing strategies of the pristine, monometallic, and multimetallic MOFs-based catalysts are summarized to indicate the infinite possibilities of the morphology and the composition of MOF-derived materials. While emphasis is laid on the essential features of MOF-derived materials for the electrocatalysis of the corresponding reactions, insights about the applications in OER are discussed. Finally, this paper is concluded by presenting challenges and perspectives for MOF-derived materials' future applications in OER electrocatalysis. Highlights This study reviews metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-derived novel nanostructured electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), including the designing and synthesizing strategies of the pristine, monometallic, and multimetallic MOFs-based catalysts. Moreover, the morphology, composition, and essential features of MOF-derived materials for the electrocatalysis are discussed. Finally, several perspectives for the challenges and future application of MOF-derived materials in OER electrocatalysis are presented.