Nanoporous high-entropy Mn-Fe-Co-Ni amorphous oxide: Boosting oxygen evolution efficiency through electron spin-polarization

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2025.03.050

Abstract

Abstract: Self-supporting electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) require a delicate balance of cost-effectiveness, high activity, substantial durability, and robust mechanical properties. Here, we leverage the chemical and structural complexity of Al_16.7Fe_16.7Co_16.7Ni_16.7Cr_16.7Mn_16.7 (at.%) high-entropy alloy (HEA) to address these requirements. Utilizing spinodal decomposition, we achieve a nanoporous structure of Fe-Cr-rich phase (A2 phase), providing a large specific surface area and robust mechanical integrity for free-standing applications. During cyclic voltammetry (CV) activation, an amorphous Mn-Fe-based HEA oxide forms in-situ on the nanoporous A2 phase, serving as an efficient electrocatalyst for OER in alkaline conditions. This nanoporous HEA amorphous oxide catalyst exhibits a low overpotential of 238 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 and a low Tafel slope of 46 mV dec^-1, surpassing the state-of-the-art RuO₂ catalyst. This study establishes a competitive, engineering-applicable OER electrocatalyst and underscores the high-entropy effect's potential in tuning electronic structures for enhanced performance.

Key words: Electrocatalyst, High-entropy, Oxygen evolution reaction, Spin-polarization, Density functional theory

Ruoyu Wu, Ruiying Gao, Zhibin Li, Jing Wang, Hui Wang, Yuan Wu, Suihe Jiang, Xiaobin Zhang, Xianzhen Wang, Xiongjun Liu, Zhaoping Lu. Nanoporous high-entropy Mn-Fe-Co-Ni amorphous oxide: Boosting oxygen evolution efficiency through electron spin-polarization[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2025, 238: 266-275.

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