MOF confined in macroporous-mesoporous-TiO₂ for light-boosting electrocatalytical oxygen production

A novel multiscale pore structure material is firstly synthesized by means of the MOF confined in ordered macroporous-mesoporous-TiO₂ (FeCoNi-MOF@TiO₂). We have successfully achieved that three-scale ordered porous structures are integrated into one material, and the porous sizes are 400 nm, 5.1 nm and 3.4 nm, respectively. A photo-based electrocatalytic OER catalytic system was designed, and the FeCoNi-MOF@TiO₂ as a catalyst exhibits high catalytical activity for OER under the irradiation of UV light. The electrons of macroporous-mesoporous-TiO₂ are excited and transferred to the loaded FeCoNi-MOF, when the macroporous-mesoporous-TiO₂ absorbs the UV light, which can improve the conductivity of the FeCoNi-MOF. The photo-induced electron of macroporous-mesoporous-TiO₂ significantly boosts the electrocatalytic active of FeCoNi-MOF. These results provide a promising route on enhancing the catalytic activity of MOFs in electrocatalytic reaction.