CoNi₂S_xO_y hollow nanocages derived from ZIF-67 for an efficient methanol oxidation reaction

In this work, the ZIF-67 was consumed as a sacrificial template for the fabrication of CoNi-layered double hydroxide (CoNi-LDH) hollow nanocages. Then, the CoNi-LDH hollow nanocages precursor was converted into CoNi₂S_xO_y hollow nanocages (CoNi₂S_xO_y HNC) during the sulfidation process in the N₂ atmosphere. The synthesized CoNi₂S_xO_y HNC was used as a catalyst in the electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in alkaline media. Profiting from the interior and exterior active sites of the hollow nanocages, the CoNi₂S_xO_y HNC shows superior electrocatalytic activity and durability toward MOR. Moreover, electronic interactions between transition metal ions and S²⁻ significantly accelerate the charge transfer process, which gives exceptional performance to MOR. This work provides promising insights for the design of transition metal-based electrocatalysts with rational morphology modulation for MOR and other energy conversion processes.