Metal　organic　frameworks　(MOFs)　have　become　a　highly　regarded　non-precious-metal　oxygen　evolution　catalyst　for　the　electrolysis　of　water　systems,　with　the　choice　of　ligand　being　a　key　factor　in　adjusting　their　structures　and　properties.　In　this　work,　a　dual-ligand　strategy　is　adopted,　using　1,3,5-phenylenetriarboxylic　acid　(H3BTC)　as　a　carboxylic　acid　ligand　and　4,4′-bipyridine　(4,4′-bipy)　as　a　soft　base　ligand　in　varying　ratios　to　prepare　NiFe-MOF　in　situ　on　nickel　foam　(NF).　The　optimized　NiFe-MOF-BTC0.75bipy0.25/NF　electrocatalysts　have　an　overvoltage　as　low　as　236.8　mV.　In　addition,　NiFe-MOF-BTC0.75bipy0.25　is　used　firstly　as　the　outer　shell　to　encapsulate　Au,　forming　a　core–shell　structure　during　the　hydrothermal　process.　The　overpotential　of　Au@NiFe-MOF-BTC0.75bipy0.25　is　further　reduced　to　194　mV　at　the　current　density　of　10　mA/cm2　due　to　the　plasmonic　effect　under　photoexcitation.　The　effect　of　dual　ligands　on　the　electron　distribution　in　MOFs　and　the　role　of　plasmonic　Au　nanoparticles　are　analyzed　through　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　and　ultraviolet–visible　diffuse　reflectance　spectroscopy,　respectively.　The　resultant　Au@NiFe-MOF-BTC0.75bipy0.25/NF　exhibits　an　enhanced　hydrogen　production　rate　and　good　chemical　stability　in　the　electrolysis　of　water.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.