Ni(OH)2 nanosheets decorated with FeCoPi on NiO heterostructures: tunable intrinsic electronic structures for improved overall water splitting

Abstract

Herein, we demonstrate the rational design of 3-dimensional nickel double hydroxide nanosheets decorated with iron-cobalt phosphide on nickel oxide (Ni(OH)₂@Fe_xCo_1−xPi|NiO) heterostructures for achieving improved overall water splitting. The as-optimized Ni(OH)₂@Fe_xCo_1−xPi|NiO heterostructures exhibited an overpotential (η) of ∼133 mV and ∼173 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), respectively, in an alkaline electrolyte through a tunable electronic interaction and stabilization of the active Ni(OH)₂ and FeCoPi interface.