Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical to renewable energy conversion technologies, but the structure-activity relationships and underlying catalytic mechanisms in catalysts are not fully understood. We herein demonstrate a strategy to promote OER with simultaneously achieved lattice oxygen activation and enhanced local electric field by dual doping of cations and anions. Rough arrays of Fe and F co-doped CoO nanoneedles are constructed, and a low overpotential of 277 mV at 500 mA cm⁻² is achieved. The dually doped Fe and F could cooperatively tailor the electronic properties of CoO, leading to improved metal-oxygen covalency and stimulated lattice oxygen activation. Particularly, Fe doping induces a synergetic effect of tip enhancement and proximity effect, which effectively concentrates OH⁻ ions, optimizes reaction energy barrier and promotes O₂ desorption. This work demonstrates a conceptual strategy to couple lattice oxygen and local electric field for effective electrocatalytic water oxidation.

A layered Fe–NMO·xH₂O cathode is fabricated for stable aqueous ZIBs. Fe doping can alleviate the Jahn–Teller effect and lock lattice water, which prevents phase transformation and lattice collapse during the (de)intercalation process.