Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater

Abstract Cobalt phosphides attract broad attention as alternatives to platinum‐based materials towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The catalytic performance of cobalt phosphides largely depends on the phase structure, but figuring out the optimal phase towards HER remains challenging due to t...

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Main Authors: Guo Huang, Yujin Huang, Asad Ali, Zhijie Chen, Pei Kang Shen, Bing‐Jie Ni, Jinliang Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-08-01
Series:Electron
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/elt2.58
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author Guo Huang
Yujin Huang
Asad Ali
Zhijie Chen
Pei Kang Shen
Bing‐Jie Ni
Jinliang Zhu
author_facet Guo Huang
Yujin Huang
Asad Ali
Zhijie Chen
Pei Kang Shen
Bing‐Jie Ni
Jinliang Zhu
author_sort Guo Huang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cobalt phosphides attract broad attention as alternatives to platinum‐based materials towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The catalytic performance of cobalt phosphides largely depends on the phase structure, but figuring out the optimal phase towards HER remains challenging due to their diverse stoichiometries. In our work, a series of cobalt phosphide nanoparticles with different phase structures but similar particle sizes (CoP‐Co2P, Co2P‐Co, Co2P, and CoP) on a porous carbon network (PC) were accurately synthesized. The CoP‐Co2P/PC heterostructure demonstrates upgraded HER catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 96.7 and 162.1 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH and 1 M phosphate‐buffered saline solution, respectively, with a long‐term (120 h) durability. In addition, the CoP‐Co2P/PC exhibits good HER performance in alkaline seawater, with a small overpotential of 111.2 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 64.2 mV dec−1, as well as promising stability. Density functional theory results show that the Co2P side of the CoP‐Co2P/PC heterostructure has the best Gibbs free energy of each step for HER, which contributes to the high HER activity. This study sets the stage for the advancement of high‐performance HER electrocatalysts and the implementation of large‐scale seawater electrolysis.
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spelling doaj-art-3a944063e57b400a83101f5eb179c87d2025-08-20T02:09:25ZengWileyElectron2751-26062751-26142024-08-0123n/an/a10.1002/elt2.58Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawaterGuo Huang0Yujin Huang1Asad Ali2Zhijie Chen3Pei Kang Shen4Bing‐Jie Ni5Jinliang Zhu6School of Resources, Environment and Materials MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials Guangxi University Nanning ChinaSchool of Resources, Environment and Materials MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials Guangxi University Nanning ChinaSchool of Resources, Environment and Materials MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials Guangxi University Nanning ChinaSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSchool of Resources, Environment and Materials MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials Guangxi University Nanning ChinaSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales AustraliaSchool of Resources, Environment and Materials MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials Guangxi University Nanning ChinaAbstract Cobalt phosphides attract broad attention as alternatives to platinum‐based materials towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The catalytic performance of cobalt phosphides largely depends on the phase structure, but figuring out the optimal phase towards HER remains challenging due to their diverse stoichiometries. In our work, a series of cobalt phosphide nanoparticles with different phase structures but similar particle sizes (CoP‐Co2P, Co2P‐Co, Co2P, and CoP) on a porous carbon network (PC) were accurately synthesized. The CoP‐Co2P/PC heterostructure demonstrates upgraded HER catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 96.7 and 162.1 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH and 1 M phosphate‐buffered saline solution, respectively, with a long‐term (120 h) durability. In addition, the CoP‐Co2P/PC exhibits good HER performance in alkaline seawater, with a small overpotential of 111.2 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 64.2 mV dec−1, as well as promising stability. Density functional theory results show that the Co2P side of the CoP‐Co2P/PC heterostructure has the best Gibbs free energy of each step for HER, which contributes to the high HER activity. This study sets the stage for the advancement of high‐performance HER electrocatalysts and the implementation of large‐scale seawater electrolysis.https://doi.org/10.1002/elt2.58cobalt phosphideselectrocatalystsheterostructuresporous carbonseawater electrolysis
spellingShingle Guo Huang
Yujin Huang
Asad Ali
Zhijie Chen
Pei Kang Shen
Bing‐Jie Ni
Jinliang Zhu
Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater
Electron
cobalt phosphides
electrocatalysts
heterostructures
porous carbon
seawater electrolysis
title Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater
title_full Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater
title_fullStr Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater
title_full_unstemmed Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater
title_short Phase‐controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater
title_sort phase controllable cobalt phosphide heterostructure for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in water and seawater
topic cobalt phosphides
electrocatalysts
heterostructures
porous carbon
seawater electrolysis
url https://doi.org/10.1002/elt2.58
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AT asadali phasecontrollablecobaltphosphideheterostructureforefficientelectrocatalytichydrogenevolutioninwaterandseawater
AT zhijiechen phasecontrollablecobaltphosphideheterostructureforefficientelectrocatalytichydrogenevolutioninwaterandseawater
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AT bingjieni phasecontrollablecobaltphosphideheterostructureforefficientelectrocatalytichydrogenevolutioninwaterandseawater
AT jinliangzhu phasecontrollablecobaltphosphideheterostructureforefficientelectrocatalytichydrogenevolutioninwaterandseawater