2D Free-Standing Nitrogen-Doped Ni-Ni3 S2 @Carbon Nanoplates Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

2D metal-organic frameworks (2D MOFs) are promising templates for the fabrication of carbon supported 2D metal/metal sulfide nanocomposites. Herein, controllable synthesis of a newly developed 2D Ni-based MOF nanoplates in well-defined rectangle morphology is first realized via a pyridine-assisted bottom-up solvothermal treatment of NiSO4 and 4,4'-bipyridine. The thickness of the MOF nanoplates can be controlled to below 20 nm, while the lateral size can be tuned in a wide range with different amounts of pyridine. Subsequent pyrolysis treatment converts the MOF nanoplates into 2D free-standing nitrogen-doped Ni-Ni3 S2 @carbon nanoplates. The obtained Ni-Ni3 S2 nanoparticles encapsulated in the N-doped carbon matrix exhibits high electrocatalytic activity in oxygen evolution reaction. A low overpotential of 284.7 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 is achieved in alkaline solution, which is among the best reported performance of substrate-free nickel sulfides based nanomaterials.