Nitrogen-doped carbon armored Cobalt oxide hollow nanocubes electrochemically anchored on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate for acidic oxygen evolution reaction

•N-doped carbon armored Co3O4 hollow nanocubes derived from Co-PBA nanocubes.•Electrochemical fixation offers firm holding of Co3O4 hollow nanocubes on FTO.•Exhibited decent activity and stability toward catalyzation of OER in 0.5 M H2SO4.•Achieve an overpotential of 465 mV at 10 mA cm−2.•Remain stable for 12 hr with a 10% increment in applied potentials.