A defective NiCo-pentlandite/black phosphorus heterostructure for efficient water splitting electrocatalysis

Abstract

Herein, we report a nickel cobalt pentlandite/black phosphorus (Ni–Co₉S₈/BP) heterostructure as a bifunctional electrocatalyst, i.e., Ni doped Co₉S₈ vertically grown on the surface of black phosphorus. The nanoporous network heterostructure and surface sulfur vacancies endow Ni–Co₉S₈/BP with more active sites and accelerated reaction kinetics, thus realizing a low potential of 1.65 V at 10 mA cm⁻² for water splitting, which outperforms most Co₉S₈-based electrocatalysts.