Study of the Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalytic Behavior of CoNiFeO in Alkaline Medium.

Catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) play an important role in the conversion of solar energy to fuel of earth-abundant water into H and O through splitting/electrolysis. Heterogeneous electrocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) exhibit catalytic activity that depends on the electronic properties, oxidation states, and local surface structure. Spinel ferrites (MFeO; M = Ni and Co) based materials have been attractive for the catalytic water oxidation due to their well-known stability in alkaline medium, easy synthesis, existence of metal cations with various oxidation states, low cost, and tunable properties by the desired metal substitution.