Amorphous electrocatalysts for urea oxidation reaction

Electrochemical urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is a promising alternative to oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for realizing energy-saving hydrogen production. Developing efficient electrocatalysts for UOR becomes a central challenge. Recently, amorphous materials have been extensively used as UOR catalysts because of their numerous defective sites and flexible electronic properties. In this review, recent advancements in the development of amorphous UOR electrocatalysts are analyzed. The UOR mechanism is discussed, and the design of amorphous catalysts is then analyzed. The main catalyst design strategies are illustrated, including nanostructure control, heteroatom doping, composition regulation, and heterostructure construction. Also, electrocatalysts’ structure-performance correlation is interpreted. Perspectives in this field are proposed for guiding future studies on the development of high-performance amorphous catalysts towards energy sustainability.