Issue 32, 2017

Constructing three-dimensional porous Ni/Ni3S2 nano-interfaces for hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis under alkaline conditions

Abstract

It is still a challenging issue to design earth-abundant electrocatalysts with low cost, high activity and long-term stability for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) based on water splitting in alkaline solutions. Here, we report a facile synthetic route for a three-dimensional, porous Ni/Ni3S2 nano-network on carbon cloth for the efficient catalysis of HER. This unique structure exposes a high proportion of Ni/Ni3S2 hetero-interfaces to the electrolyte, creating a synergetic effect between Ni and Ni3S2 that enhances HER. The synergetic effect at the interface was verified by DFT calculation and involves the interface-assisted heterolytic splitting of H2O into OH and H+ and the subsequent expeditious H2-forming reaction caused by weakened binding between Ni and H induced by the neighboring Ni3S2. The resulting porous network shows high HER activity in alkaline media, reaching 10 mA cm−2 at 95 mV with a Tafel slope of 66 mV dec−1. This value is much smaller than that of nickel metal, which is currently used in industry.

Graphical abstract: Constructing three-dimensional porous Ni/Ni3S2 nano-interfaces for hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis under alkaline conditions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 mar 2017
Accepted
11 mai 2017
First published
11 mai 2017

Dalton Trans., 2017,46, 10700-10706

Constructing three-dimensional porous Ni/Ni3S2 nano-interfaces for hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis under alkaline conditions

Y. An, B. Huang, Z. Wang, X. Long, Y. Qiu, J. Hu, D. Zhou, H. Lin and S. Yang, Dalton Trans., 2017, 46, 10700 DOI: 10.1039/C7DT00878C

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