ENHANCING OXYGEN EVOLUTION REACTION PERFORMANCE USING LAYERED DOUBLE HYDROXIDE CATALYSTS: INSIGHTS FROM RECENT ADVANCES IN ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND SURFACE ENGINEERING
The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key but slow step in water splitting for green hydrogen production, oftenlimited by the poor stability and sluggish kinetics of conventional electrocatalysts. Layered double hydroxides(LDHs) have recently attracted considerable attention due to their tunable layered structure, large surface area, andefficient charge transport, all of which can be optimised for improved OER activity. This review summarises major advances reported over the past five years in the synthesis, modification, and application of LDH-based catalysts, with particular emphasis on how synthesis strategies and metal cation selection influence catalytic performance. Recent studies demonstrate that tailoring the electronic structure and density of active sites through approaches suchas heteroatom doping, defect engineering, and surface modification significantly enhances catalytic efficiency, leading to lower overpotentials and faster reaction kinetics. These findings highlight the strong potential of LDH- based materials as cost-effective and high-performance OER catalysts for water splitting. However, challengesrelated to long-term structural stability and mass transport limitations remain. Overcoming these challenges viaimproved catalyst designs and integration strategies will help translate LDH-based materials into practical systemsfor producing hydrogen sustainably. In a nutshell, the insights summarised in this review guide the rational designof next-generation LDH electrocatalysts.
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