Controlled Self-Assembly of Hollow Core-Shell FeMn/CoNi Prussian Blue Analogs with Boosted Electrocatalytic Activity

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) are promising catalysts for energy applications due to their porous structures.
• Optimizing PBA catalytic performance requires advanced nanostructure engineering.
• Current methods for PBA structure modification often involve complex procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile and controllable one-pot self-assembly strategy for creating hierarchical core-shell polymetallic PBAs.
• To investigate the formation mechanism of these complex PBA nanostructures.
• To evaluate the catalytic performance of the synthesized PBAs for the oxygen evolution reaction.

Main Methods:

• One-pot self-assembly synthesis of hierarchical core-shell polymetallic PBAs (FeMn@CoNi).
• Material characterization using morphology and composition analysis techniques.
• Theoretical simulations to elucidate the formation mechanism.
• Electrochemical evaluation of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).

Main Results:

• Hierarchical core-shell polymetallic PBAs with hollow nano-cage and solid nano-cube architectures were successfully synthesized.
• The formation mechanism was linked to controlled nucleation rates influenced by chelating agents and reaction kinetics.
• The FeMn@CoNi-H catalyst exhibited excellent OER activity with a low overpotential of 236 mV and a low Tafel slope of 58.4 mV dec⁻¹.
• Enhanced performance is attributed to optimized electronic structures and increased active sites.

Conclusions:

• A robust and cost-effective one-pot strategy enables precise chemical and morphological control of PBA catalysts.
• The developed hierarchical core-shell PBAs show significant potential for high-performance water electrolysis.
• This work offers a pathway for designing advanced catalysts for energy-related applications.