An Alkaline-Stable, Metal Hydroxide Mimicking Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution

Postsynthetic ion exchange of [Co2(μ-Cl)2(btta)] (MAF-X27-Cl, H2bbta =1H,5H-benzo­(1,2-d:4,5-d′)­bistriazole)
possessing open metal sites on its pore surface yields a material
[Co2(μ-OH)2(bbta)] (MAF-X27-OH) functionalized
by both open metal sites and hydroxide ligands, giving drastically
improved electrocatalytic activities for the oxygen evolution reaction
(an overpotential of 292 mV at 10.0 mA cm–2 in 1.0
M KOH solution). Isotope tracing experiments further confirm that
the hydroxide ligands are involved in the OER process to provide a
low-energy intraframework coupling pathway.