Hierarchical Mo-doped CoP3 interconnected nanosheet arrays on carbon cloth as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for water splitting in an alkaline electrolyte

Abstract

Design and fabrication of highly efficient and robust noble-metal-free bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting in alkaline media is challenging. Herein, we report a unique bifunctional electrocatalyst consisting of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical Mo-doped CoP₃ nanosheet arrays on carbon cloth (Mo–CoP₃ NAs@CC) fabricated by a facile electrodeposition process and the subsequent PH₃ plasma-assisted phosphorization. Benefiting from the hierarchical nanostructure and doping effect of Mo, the optimal Mo–CoP₃-2@CC electrode demonstrates excellent HER and OER catalytic activity with an overpotential of 62 and 300 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², respectively, and reasonable stability up to 20 h in 1.0 M KOH. Impressively, when Mo–CoP₃-2@CC is used as both HER and OER electrodes in an alkaline electrolyzer, a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² is achieved at a cell voltage of only 1.65 V, and the stable water-splitting current is maintained for 25 h, showing great promise for practical applications.