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High-Performance Rh 2 P Electrocatalyst for Efficient Water Splitting

Journal Article · · Journal of the American Chemical Society
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b01376· OSTI ID:1412702
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [6];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [5]
  1. Department of Chemistry and Collaborative Innovation Center for Nanomaterial Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
  2. Materials Science Divisions, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
  3. Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics &, Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
  4. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
  5. Department of Chemistry and Collaborative Innovation Center for Nanomaterial Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
  6. Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States

The search for active, stable, and cost-efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen production via water splitting could make a substantial impact on energy technologies that do not rely on fossil fuels. Here we report the synthesis of rhodium phosphide electrocatalyst with low metal loading in the form of nanocubes (NCs) dispersed in high-surface-area carbon (Rh2P/C) by a facile solvo-thermal approach. The Rh2P/C NCs exhibit remarkable performance for hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction compared to Rh/C and Pt/C catalysts. The atomic structure of the Rh2P NCs was directly observed by annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, which revealed a phosphorus-rich outermost atomic layer. Combined experimental and computational studies suggest that surface phosphorus plays a crucial role in determining the robust catalyst properties.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1412702
Journal Information:
Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Chemical Society Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 139; ISSN 0002-7863
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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