Recent Advances in Nanostructured Spinel Oxides Electrocatalysts: Synthesis Strategies, Regulation, and Performance Modulation

Faced with the dual pressures of the global energy crisis and environmental pollution, the development of clean and efficient energy conversion technologies is becoming increasingly important. Although hydrogen production via water electrolysis holds great promise, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode suffers from slow reaction kinetics, high energy consumption, and the generation of low-value products. By replacing the OER with the alcohol oxidation reaction (AOR), which is thermodynamically more favorable, it is possible to simultaneously produce hydrogen with lower energy consumption and high-value-added chemical products. Spinel oxides exhibit significant potential in these electrocatalytic reactions due to their flexible composition, structural stability, and low cost. This article provides an overview of the crystal structures, preparation methods, and performance enhancement strategies for nanostructured spinel oxides. It then highlights recent advances in OER and AOR (particularly with methanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerol), with a focus on analyzing reaction mechanisms and structure-activity relationships. Finally, the article discusses current research challenges and outlines future development directions, aiming to offer valuable guidance for the design of high-performance, cost-effective, nonprecious metal electrocatalysts.