Tuning the Hydrogen Evolution Activity of Co₂NiO₄ via Precursor-Controlled Synthesis

The realization of efficient and durable earth-abundant electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is critical for scalable hydrogen production, yet remains limited by insufficient intrinsic activity. Herein, we demonstrate a precursor-controlled hydrothermal strategy that enables precise morphology and surface-state regulation of spinel Co₂NiO₄ directly grown on nickel foam, allowing a clear correlation between catalyst architecture and HER performance. By replacing urea with hexamethylenetetramine, an ultrathin, highly interconnected two-dimensional nanosheet network (CNO-HT) is obtained, which promotes efficient electron transport, rapid electrolyte penetration, and maximized exposure of catalytically active sites. Structural and spectroscopic analyses confirm the formation of phase-pure cubic Co₂NiO₄ with enriched mixed-valence Ni and Co species, favoring enhanced redox activity. The CNO-HT catalyst exhibits a low overpotential (86 mV at 10 mA cm⁻²) and a smaller Tafel slope (103 mV dec⁻¹), significantly outperforming the urea-derived counterpart. Importantly, the catalyst maintains stable HER operation for 96 h at both 10 and 100 mA cm⁻², with post-stability electrochemical analyses confirming preserved kinetics and interfacial properties. This work establishes precursor-regulated nanosheet engineering as general and scalable strategy to unlock the intrinsic catalytic potential of spinel metal oxides, offering actionable design principles for next-generation non-noble electrocatalysts for alkaline hydrogen production.