摘要
Cost-effective hydrogen production via electrolysis of water requires efficient and durable earth-abundant catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction （HER） over a wide pH range. Herein, we report sponge-like nickel phosphide- carbon nanotube （NixP/CNT） hybrid electrodes that were prepared by facile cyclic voltammetric deposition of amorphous NixP catalysts onto the three- dimensional （3D） porous CNT support. These compounds exhibit superior catalytic activity for sustained hydrogen evolution in acidic, neutral, and basic media. In particular, the NixP/CNT electrodes generate cathodic currents of 10 and 100 mA.cm-2 at overpotentials of 105 and 226 mV, respectively, in a 1 M phosphate buffer solution （pH = 6.5） with a Tafel slope of 100 mV.dec-1; the currents were stable for over 110 h without obvious decay. Our results suggest that the 3D porous CNT electrode supports could serve as a general platform for earth-abundant HER catalysts for the development of highly efficient electrodes for hydrogen production.
Cost-effective hydrogen production via electrolysis of water requires efficient and durable earth-abundant catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction （HER） over a wide pH range. Herein, we report sponge-like nickel phosphide- carbon nanotube （NixP/CNT） hybrid electrodes that were prepared by facile cyclic voltammetric deposition of amorphous NixP catalysts onto the three- dimensional （3D） porous CNT support. These compounds exhibit superior catalytic activity for sustained hydrogen evolution in acidic, neutral, and basic media. In particular, the NixP/CNT electrodes generate cathodic currents of 10 and 100 mA.cm-2 at overpotentials of 105 and 226 mV, respectively, in a 1 M phosphate buffer solution （pH = 6.5） with a Tafel slope of 100 mV.dec-1; the currents were stable for over 110 h without obvious decay. Our results suggest that the 3D porous CNT electrode supports could serve as a general platform for earth-abundant HER catalysts for the development of highly efficient electrodes for hydrogen production.
