Constructing Bifunctional 3D Holey and Ultrathin CoP Nanosheets for Efficient Overall Water Splitting

Journal Article · Thu Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b08238· OSTI ID:1598208

Dang, Yanliu ^[1]; He, Junkai ^[1]; Wu, Tianli ^[2]; Yu, Linping  ^[1]; Kerns, Peter ^[1]; Wen, Liaoyong  ^[1]; Ouyang, Jing ^[1]; Suib, Steven L.  ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
2. Henan Univ., Kaifeng (China)

Pursuing cost-effective water-splitting catalysts is still a significant scientific challenge to produce renewable fuels and chemicals from various renewable feedstocks. The construction of controllable binder-free nanostructures with self-standing holey and ultrathin nanosheets is one of the promising approaches. Herein, by employing a combination of the potentiodynamic mode of electrodeposition and low-temperature phosphidation, three-dimensional (3D) holey CoP ultrathin nanosheets are fabricated on a carbon cloth (PD-CoP UNSs/CC) as bifunctional catalysts. Electrochemical tests show that the PD-CoP UNSs/CC exhibits outstanding hydrogen evolution reaction performance at all pH values with overpotentials of 47, 90, and 51 mV to approach 10 mA cm^–2 in acidic, neutral, and alkaline media, respectively. Meanwhile, only a low overpotential of 268 mV is required to drive 20 mA cm^–2 for the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media. Cyclic voltammetry and impedance studies suggest the enhanced performance is mainly attributed to the unique 3D holey ultrathin nanosheets, which could increase the electrochemically active area, facilitate the release of gas bubbles from electrode surfaces, and improve effective electrolyte diffusion. This work suggests an efficient path to design and fabricate non-noble bifunctional electrocatalysts for water splitting at a large scale.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division
• Grant/Contract Number: FG02-86ER13622
• OSTI ID: 1598208
• Journal Information: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Vol. 11, Issue 33; ISSN 1944-8244
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
electrocatalysis
water splitting
all pH values
3D holey CoP nanosheets
potentiodynamic deposition