Abstract
Efficient electrocatalysts are of great importance in improving the water splitting efficiency. Herein, we develop a self-templating strategy to construct porous iron cobalt (oxy)phosphide (Fe–Co–P) nanoboxes as promising pre-catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline solution. The constructed Fe–Co–P nanoboxes exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity and afford a current density of 10 mA cm
−2
at a small overpotential of 269 mV. Moreover, the structural evolution of the metal phosphides in the oxygen evolution process has been well monitored. X-ray absorption near-edge structure analyses and computational studies reveal that the structural merits and the effective intramolecular electronic coupling between the Fe and Co atoms
via
P/O bridges are responsible for the greatly improved electrocatalytic activity.