Issue 36, 2024

Counter ion-regulated heterostructured Co@Fe-based core@shell materials: as remarkable bifunctional electrodes for green H2 production

Abstract

Understanding the effect of counter ions on Co and Fe-based electrocatalysts is crucial for optimizing electrolyzer electrodes for efficient green H2 production. Hence, for the first time, we present the synthesis of nickel foam (NF) supported core@shell type Co(OH)2@FeOOH, Co3O4@Fe3O4, and Co2P@Fe2P materials and their utilization as electrodes for electrochemical water splitting. Anion regulation in these materials can enhance their electronic properties, boosting their electrocatalytic performance. Notably, Co(OH)2@FeOOH/NF exhibits a remarkably low oxygen evolution reaction (OER) overpotential of 237 mV at 50 mA cm−2, significantly surpassing the “core” Co(OH)2 (435 mV) and “shell” FeOOH (266 mV). The recorded OER overpotentials of Co2P@Fe2P/NF and Co3O4@Fe3O4/NF materials are 267 and 378 mV, respectively. Examining the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) overpotentials, Co(OH)2@FeOOH/NF, Co3O4@Fe3O4/NF, and Co2P@Fe2P/NF materials demonstrate 175, 255, and 95 mV at 10 mA cm−2, respectively. Among the fabricated symmetrical alkaline electrolyzers, Co2P@Fe2P/NF‖Co2P@Fe2P/NF exhibits the highest water splitting performance with a low cell potential of only 1.53 V at 10 mA cm−2, followed by Co(OH)2@FeOOH/NF‖Co(OH)2@FeOOH/NF (1.58 V), FeOOH/NF‖FeOOH/NF (1.65 V), and Co3O4@Fe3O4/NF‖Co3O4@Fe3O4/NF (1.7 V). Besides being highly active toward the OER, HER and overall water splitting (OWS), all the synthesized materials along with the fabricated electrolyzers show exceptional durability at a high current density of 50 mA cm−2, proving their excellent bifunctionality toward the OER and HER.

Graphical abstract: Counter ion-regulated heterostructured Co@Fe-based core@shell materials: as remarkable bifunctional electrodes for green H2 production

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 Apr 2024
Accepted
06 Aug 2024
First published
20 Aug 2024

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 24656-24669

Counter ion-regulated heterostructured Co@Fe-based core@shell materials: as remarkable bifunctional electrodes for green H2 production

G. Rajeshkhanna, A. Borah, T. I. Singh, T. H. Nguyen, V. A. Dinh, N. H. Kim and J. H. Lee, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 24656 DOI: 10.1039/D4TA02785J

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