Intercalation-Induced Irreversible Lattice Distortion in Layered Double Hydroxides

Inducing strain in the lattice effectively enhances the intrinsic activity of electrocatalysts by shifting the metal’s d-band center and tuning the binding energy of reaction intermediates. NiFe-layered double hydroxides (NiFe LDHs) are promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to their cost-effectiveness and high catalytic activity. The distorted β-NiOOH phase produced by the Jahn–Teller effect under the oxidation polarization is known to exhibit superior catalytic activity, but it eventually transforms to the undistorted γ-NiOOH phase during the OER process. Such a reversible lattice distortion limits the OER activity. In this study, we propose a facile boron tungstate (BWO) anion intercalation method to induce irreversible lattice distortion in NiFe LDHs, leading to significantly enhanced OER activity. Strong interactions with BWO anions induce significant…