Solvent dispersion triggered the formation of NiFe-gel as an efficient electrocatalyst for enhancing the oxygen evolution reaction.

The inexpensive metal-based electrocatalysts with large surface areas are in high demand to overcome the sluggish kinetics of the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in electrocatalytic water splitting. Here we report that a series of NiFe based gels were prepared by a solvent dispersion triggered gelation method, where Ni2Fe-gel exhibits a specific surface area of 216.9 m2 g−1, and a low overpotential of 245 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in an alkaline electrolyte.