Synergistic Catalytic Sites in High-Entropy Metal Hydroxide Organic Framework for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

The integration of multiple elements in a high-entropy state is crucial in the design of high-performance, durable electrocatalysts. High-entropy metal hydroxide organic frameworks (HE-MHOFs) are synthesized under mild solvothermal conditions. This novel crystalline metal-organic framework (MOF) features a random, homogeneous distribution of cations within high-entropy hydroxide layers. HE-MHOF exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), reaching a current density of 100 mA cm^-2 at ≈1.64 V_RHE, and demonstrates remarkable durability, maintaining a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 for over 100 h. Notably, HE-MHOF outperforms precious metal-based electrocatalysts despite containing only ≈60% OER active metals. Ab initio calculations and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) demonstrate that the high-entropy catalyst contains active sites that facilitate a multifaceted OER mechanism. This study highlights the benefits of high-entropy MOFs in developing noble metal-free electrocatalysts, reducing reliance on precious metals, lowering metal loading (especially for Ni, Co, and Mn), and ultimately reducing costs for sustainable water electrolysis technologies.