UltrathinCobalt–Nickel Glycolate Nanosheetsfor Catalyzing the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Since the discovery of graphene, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have emerged as leading candidates for heterogeneous electrocatalysts due to their unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties. In this work, we have successfully synthesized a new basic cobalt–nickel glycolate, M₂(OCH₂COO)(OH)₂·1/2H₂O (M = Co, Ni), exhibiting a two-dimensional ultrathin nanosheet morphology through a hydrothermal method. Our findings indicate that the ratio of metal ions to glycolic acid and the pH of the precursor solution significantly influence the resulting products and their morphologies. The material demonstrates excellent catalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis cell with CoNi(OCH₂COO)(OH)₂·1/2H₂O as the anode and Pt/C as the cathode achieves a current density of 1.6 A/cm²@1.8 V at 60 °C. This work provides innovative insights into the design and application of novel metal–organic salts in water electrolysis for green hydrogen production.