Construction of Co/Co2P/VN Heterointerfaces Enhances Trifunctional Hydrogen and Oxygen Catalytic Reactions

Abstract

Designing efficient and serviceable electrocatalysts for overall water-splitting and metal-air batteries is crucial for advancing a green economy. Herein, we successfully synthesized a novel nanocomposite material composed of Co/Co2P/VN heterointerfaces anchored on nitrogen (N)-doped graphitic carbon matrix through a one-step pyrolysis process. The resultant Co/Co2P/VN exhibits unparalleled electrocatalytic trifunctional properties due to abundant catalytically active sites at the heterointerfaces and the optimized electronic configuration, possessing a relatively low overpotential for HER (η10 = 111 mV) and OER (η10 = 379 mV), and a high half-wave potential for ORR (E1/2 = 0.89 V), while maintaining the long-term stability for all three catalytic reactions in alkaline media. This work provides critical insights into the design of future efficient multicomponent materials for trifunctional electrocatalysis.