Highly Stable and Active Flexible Electrocatalysts Derived from Lotus Fibers

The stability and activity of electrocatalysts are fundamental in energy-related applications (e.g., hydrogen generation and energy storage). Electrocatalysts degrade over time when the active centers are not strongly anchored to the support. However, if the active centers are too strongly anchored, the activity of the electrocatalysts decreases due to reduced accessibility to reactants. Herein, a strategy is presented to balance the stability and activity of different active materials using a natural and flexible support material that can be woven and carbonized. Lotus fibers, which have surface hydroxyl and phenolic groups, high mechanical strength, and a mesoscale porosity post-pyrolysis, are used to load diverse functional metal-containing materials such as metal-organic frameworks, 2D materials, metal sulfide nanoparticles, metal ions, and high-entropy alloys. After pyrolysis, the electrocatalysts display flexibility, high catalytic performance, and long-term stability, outperforming commercial benchmarks (e.g., Pt/C) in specific scenarios for water splitting, liquid batteries, and flexible electronics.