Vanadate Encapsulated Polyoxoborate Framework with [V<sub>12</sub>B<sub>18</sub>] Clusters: An Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Oxygen and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions
Tanmay Rom, Rathindranath Biswas, Krishna Kanta Haldar, Uttam Kumar Saha, Sudhindra Rayaprol, Avijit Kumar Paul
Abstract
Widespread contemporary attention has grown over the years in the search for a new functional and robust inorganic framework system with the advent of exciting applications. Herein, a facile strategy has been demonstrated for developing noble-metal-free bifunctional electrocatalysts by successfully preparing a polyoxovanadoborate framework compound, i.e., [Na10(H2O)18][(VO)12(μ3-OH)6(B3O7)6]·5H2O, i.e., NVBO-I. Anionic vanadoborate clusters are interconnected through a cationic sodium aquated chain to form a three-dimensional framework structure. The compound exhibits remarkable bifunctional activity for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions over many well-engineered and state-of-art electrocatalysts under a similar catalytic environment.