Urchin-like Ni@N-doped carbon composites with Ni nanoparticles encapsulated in N-doped carbon nantubes as high-efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

Highlights: • Electrospinning and carbonization have been combined to fabricate urchin-like Ni@N-doped carbon composites electrocatalysts for high-efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER). • Bamboo-like and graphic N-doped carbon nanotubes encapsulated nickel nanoparticles can be detected on the electrocatalysts' surface, the special structure which is beneficial to enhance electrocatalytic activities. • Our urchin-like Ni@N-doped carbon composites electrocatalysts can work for OER with outstanding performance in alkaline media. -- Abstract: Electrospinning and carbonization have been combined to fabricate urchin-like nickel nanoparticle@ nitrogen doped carbon composites electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER), in which bamboo-like and graphic N-doped carbon nanotubes encapsulated nickel nanoparticles can be detected on the substrates' surface. The catalyst has superior performance in OER shows a low overpotentials of 305 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², small Tafel slope of 62 mV·dec⁻¹ and outstanding durability. In addition, the research opens a simple route to develop high-efficient OER electrocatalyst from earth-abundant materials.