CoFe2O4 nanoparticle embedded carbon nanofibers: A promising non-noble metal catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

There is a strong demand for noble metal-free durable catalysts to facilitate the advancement of clean, sustainable energy technologies and to replace energy equipment reliant on fossil fuels. In this study, metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived CoFe2O4 (CFO) nanoparticle-embedded electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were synthesized. Nanofibers were calcined at three different temperatures to obtain optimum electrocatalytic performance in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Nanofibers annealed at 800 °C (CFO@CNFs 800) displayed a reduced overpotential of 300 mV while maintaining a steady current density of 10 mA cm−2. CFO@CNFs 800 demonstrated Tafel slope 42 mV dec−1 with excellent long-term stability up to 48 h. The synergistic effect of the redox activity of CFO coupled with the high surface area and conductivity of carbon nanofibers is responsible for enhanced OER performance. © 2024 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC