Polypyrrole@NiCo hybrid nanotube arrays as high performance electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution

doi:10.1007/s11705-018-1724-9

Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.

2018, Vol. 12

Issue (3) : 473-480 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-018-1724-9

COMMUNICATION

Polypyrrole@NiCo hybrid nanotube arrays as high performance electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution

Shenghua Ye, Gaoren Li(

)

MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, KLGHEI of Environment and Energy Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China

Download: PDF(479 KB) HTML
Export: BibTeX | EndNote | Reference Manager | ProCite | RefWorks

Abstract

The polypyrrole(PPy)@NiCo hybrid nanotube arrays have been successfully fabricated as a high performance electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solution. The strong electronic interactions between PPy and NiCo alloy are confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectra. Because these interations can remarkably reduce the apparent activation energy (E_a) for HER and enhance the turnover frequency of catalysts, the electrocatalytic performance of PPy@NiCo hybrid nanotube arrays are significantly improved. The electrochemical tests show that the PPy@NiCo hybrid catalysts exhibit a low overpotential of ~186 mV at 10.0 mA·cm⁻² and a small tafel slope of 88.6 mV·deg⁻¹ for HER in the alkaline solution. The PPy@NiCo hybrid nanotubes also exhibit high catalytic activity and high stability for HER.

Keywords NiCo alloy polypyrrole hybrid nanotube electrocatalyst hydrogen evolution reaction

Corresponding Author(s): Gaoren Li

Just Accepted Date: 15 March 2018 Online First Date: 07 June 2018 Issue Date: 18 September 2018

Cite this article:

Shenghua Ye,Gaoren Li. Polypyrrole@NiCo hybrid nanotube arrays as high performance electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(3): 473-480.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-018-1724-9
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2018/V12/I3/473

Fig.1 Schema1 Schematic illustration of the fabrication process of the PPy@NiCo HNTAs

Fig.2 (a) SEM and (b-c) TEM images of PPy@NiCo HNTAs; (d) TEM image of nanotube wall and (e) the corresponding element mapping of the wall of PPy@NiCo HNTAs; (f) HRTEM and (g) SAED pattern of NiCo layer in PPy@NiCo HNTAs marked with red circle in (d)

Fig.3 (a–c) XPS spectra of Ni 2p, Co 2p and N 1s in the Ni NTAs, NiCo NTAs, and PPy@NiCo HNTAs, respectively; (d) Raman spectra of PPy NTAs and PPy@NiCo HNTAs

Fig.4 (a) LSV curves and (b) Tafel plots of PPy@NiCo HNTAs and NiCo NTAs at scan rate of 2 mV?s⁻¹ in 1.0 mol?L⁻¹ NaOH solution; (c) cyclic voltammetric sweeps of PPy@NiCo HNTAs and NiCo NTAs at scan rate of 50 mV?s⁻¹ in 1.0 mol?L⁻¹ NaOH solution; (d) Arrhenius plots of the PPy@NiCo HNTAs and NiCo NTAs

Fig.5 (a) CVs of PPy@NiCo HNTAs and NiCo NTAs in 0.5 mol?L⁻¹ NaOH at the scan rate of 50 mV?s⁻¹; (b) TOFs calculated for PPy@NiCo HNTAs and NiCo NTAs in 1.0 mol?L⁻¹ NaOH

1	Long X, Li G, Wang Z, Zhu H, Zhang T, Xiao S, Guo W, Yang S. Metallic iron-nickel sulfide ultrathin nanosheets as a highly active electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic media. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2015, 137(37): 11900–11903 https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b07728
2	Cheng L, Huang W, Gong Q, Liu C, Liu Z, Li Y, Dai H. Ultratin WS2 nanoflakes as a high-performance electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2014, 53(30): 7860–7863 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201402315
3	Tian J, Liu Q, Asiri A M, Sun X. Self-supported nanoporous cobalt phosphide nanowire arrays: An efficient 3D hydrogen-evolving cathode over the wide range of pH 0–14. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2014, 136(21): 7587–7589 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja503372r
4	Liu Q, Xie L S, Liu Z A, Du G, Asiri A M, Sun X P. A Zn-doped Ni3S2 nanosheet array as a high-perpformance electrochemical water oxidation catalyst in alkaline solution. Chemical Communications, 2017, 53(92): 12446–12449 https://doi.org/10.1039/C7CC06668F
5	Xie M W, Xiong X L, Yang L, Shi X F, Asiri A M, Sun X P. An Fe(TCNQ)2 nanowire array on Fe foil: An efficient non-noble-metal catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media. Chemical Communications, 2018, 54(18): 2300–2303 https://doi.org/10.1039/C7CC09105B
6	You C, Ji Y Y, Liu Z A, Xiong X L, Sun X P. Ultrathin CoFe-borate coated CoFe-layered double hydroxide nanosheets array: A non-noble-metal 3D catalyst electrode for efficient and durable water oxidation in potassium borate. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2018, 6(2): 1527–1531 https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b03780
7	Xiong X L, Ji Y Y, Xie M W, You C, Yang L, Liu Z A, Asiri A M, Sun X P. MnO2-CoP3 nanowire array: An efficient electrocatalyst for alkaline oxygen evolution reaction with enhanced activity. Electrochemistry Communications, 2018, 86: 161–165 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2017.12.008
8	Xie F Y, Wu H L, Mou J R, Lin D M, Xu C G, Wu C, Sun X P. Ni3N@Ni-Ci nanoarray as a highly active and durable non-noble-metal electrocatalyst for water oxidation at near-neutral pH. Journal of Catalysis, 2017, 356: 165–172 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2017.10.013
9	Yan H, Tian C, Wang L, Wu A, Meng M, Zhao L, Fu H. Phosphorus-modified tungsten nitride/reduced graphene oxide as a high-performance, non-noble-metal electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2015, 54(21): 6325–6329 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201501419
10	Vrubel H, Hu X. Molybdenum boride and carbide catalyze hydrogen evolution in both acidic and basic solutions. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2012, 124(51): 12875–12878 https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201207111
11	Gao M R, Liang J X, Zheng Y R, Xu Y F, Jiang J, Gao Q, Li J, Yu S H. An efficient molybdenum disulfide/cobalt diselenide hybrid catalyst for electrochemical hydrogen generation. Nature Communications, 2015, 6(1): 5982 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6982
12	Morales-Guio C G, Liardet L, Mayer M T, Tilley S D, Grätzel M, Hu X. Photoelectrochemical hydrogen production in alkaline solutions using Cu2O coated with earth-abundant hydrogen evolution catalysts. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2015, 54(2): 664–667
13	Kanan M W, Nocera D G. In situ formation of an oxygen-evolving catalyst in neutral water containing phosphate and Co3+. Science, 2008, 321(5892): 1072–1075 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1162018
14	Smith E D L, Prếvot M S, Fagan R D, Zhang Z, Sedach P A, Siu M K J, Trudel S, Berlinguette C P. Photochemical route for accessing amorphous metal oxide materials for water oxidation catalysis. Science, 2013, 340(6128): 60–63 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1233638
15	McCrory C L, Jung S, Peters J C, Jaramillo T F. Benchmarking heterogeneous electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2013, 135(45): 16977–16987 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja407115p
16	Anantharaj S, Rao Ede S, Sakthikumar K, Karthick K, Mishra S, Kundu S. Recent trends and perspectives in electrochemical water splitting with an emphasis to sulphide, selenide and phosphide catalysts of Fe, Co, and Ni: A review. ACS Catalysis, 2016, 6(12): 8069–8097 https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.6b02479
17	Yin H, Zhao S, Zhao K, Muqsit A, Tang H, Chang L, Zhao H, Gao Y, Tang Z. Ultrathin platinum nanowires grown on single-layered nickel hydroxide with high hydrogen evolution activity. Nature Communications, 2015, 6(1): 6430 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7430
18	Walter M G, Warren E L, McKone J R, Boettcher S W, Mi Q, Santori E A, Lewis N S. Solar water splitting cells. Chemical Reviews, 2010, 110(11): 6446–6473 https://doi.org/10.1021/cr1002326
19	Hall D E. Electrodes for alkaline water electrolysis. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 1981, 128(4): 740–746 https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2127498
20	Brown D E, Mahmood M N, Turner A K, Hall S M, Fogarty P O. Low overvoltage electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolving electrodes. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 1982, 7(5): 405–410 https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3199(82)90051-9
21	Brown D E, Mahmood M N, Man M C, Turner A K. Preparation and characterization of low overvoltage transition metal alloy electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution in alkaline solution. Electrochimica Acta, 1984, 29(11): 1551–1556 https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4686(84)85008-2
22	Raj I A, Vasu K I. Transition metal-based hydrogen electrodes in alkaline solution-electrocatalysis on nickel based binary alloy coatings. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 1990, 20(1): 32–38 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01012468
23	Nocera D G. The artificial leaf. Accounts of Chemical Research, 2012, 45(5): 767–776 https://doi.org/10.1021/ar2003013
24	Gong M, Zhou W, Tsai M C, Zhou J, Guan M, Lin M C, Zhang B, Hu Y, Wang D, Yang J, et al. Nanoscale nickel oxide/nickel heterostructures for active hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis. Nature Communications, 2014, 5: 4695 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5695
25	Yan H. Platinum-based electrocatalysts with core-shell nanostructures. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2011, 50(1): 2674–2676
26	Sasaki K, Naohara H, Cai Y, Choi M, Liu P, Vukmirovic M B, Wang J X, Adzic R R. Core-protected platinum monolayer shell high-stability electrocatalysts for fuel cell cathodes. Angewandte Chemie, 2010, 49(46): 8602–8607 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201004287
27	Zhang J, Vukmirovic M B, Xu Y, Mavrikakis M, Adzic R R. Controlling the catalytic activity of platinum-monolayer electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction with different substrates. Angewandte Chemie, 2005, 44(14): 2132–2135 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200462335
28	Luo J, Wang L, Mott D, Njoki P N, Lin Y, He T, Xu Z, Wanjana B N, Lim I S, Zhong C J. Core/shell nanoparticles as electrocatalysts for fuel cell reactions. Advanced Materials, 2008, 20(22): 4342–4347 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200703009
29	Liu Z, Jackson G I S, Eichhorn B W. PtSn intermetallic, core-shell, and alloy nanoparticles as CO-tolerant electrocatalysts for H2 oxidation. Angewandte Chemie, 2010, 49(18): 3173–3176 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200907019
30	Ghosh T, Vukmirovic M, Disalvo F, Adzic R R. Intermetallics as novel supports for Pt monolayer O2 reduction electrocatalysts: Potential for significantly improving properties. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2010, 132(3): 906–907 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja905850c
31	Wang A L, Xu H, Feng J X, Ding L X, Tong Y X, Li G R. Design of Pd/PANI/Pd sandwich-structured nanotube array catalysts with special shape effect and synergistic effects for ethanol electrooxidation. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2013, 135(29): 10703–10709 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja403101r
32	Xu H, Ding L X, Liang C L, Tong Y X, Li G R. High-performance polypyrrole functionalized PtPdelectrocatalysts based on PtPd@PPy@PtPd three-layered nanotube arrays for electrooxidation of small organic molecules. NPG Asia Materials, 2013, 5(5): e69 https://doi.org/10.1038/am.2013.54
33	Hu M J, Zhang Y, Lu S, Guo S R, Lin B, Zhang M, Yu S H. High yield synthesis of bracelet-like hydrophilic Ni-Co magnetic alloy flux-closure nanorings. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2008, 130(35): 11606–11607 https://doi.org/10.1021/ja804467g
34	Cioffi N, Torsi L, Losito I, Franco C, Bari I, Chiavarone L, Scamarcio G, Tesakov V, Sabbatini L, Zambonin P. Electrosynthesis and analytical characterization of polypyrrole thin film. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2001, 11: 1434–1440 https://doi.org/10.1039/b009857o
35	Zhang X, Bai R. Surface electric properties of polypyrrole in aqueous solutions. Langmuir, 2003, 19(26): 10703–10709 https://doi.org/10.1021/la034893v
36	Jaramillo A, Spurlock L D, Young V, Toth A B. XPS characterization of nanosized overoxidized polypyrrole film on graphite electrodes. Analyst (London), 1999, 124(8): 1215–1221 https://doi.org/10.1039/a902578b
37	Bard A J, Faulkner L R. Electrochemical Method. New York: Wiley, 1980, 87
38	Xie J, Zhang H, Li S, Wang R, Sun X, Zhou M, Zhou J, Lou X W, Xie Y. Defect-rivh MoS2 ultrathin nanosheets with additional active edge sites for enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Advanced Materials, 2013, 11(40): 5807–5813 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201302685
39	Chen Z, Cummins D, Reinecke B N, Clark E, Sunkara M K, Jaramillo T F. Jaramillo. F. Core-shell MoO3-MoS2 nanowire fore hydrogen evolution: A functional design for electrocatalytic materials. Nano Letters, 2011, 11(10): 4168–4175 https://doi.org/10.1021/nl2020476
40	Benck J D, Chen Z, Kuritzky L Y, Forman A J, Jaramillo T F. Amorphous molybdenum sulfide catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen production: Insight into the origin of their catalytic activity. ACS Catalysis, 2012, 2(9): 1916–1923 https://doi.org/10.1021/cs300451q
41	Machado S A S, Tiengo J, Lima Neto P D, Avaca L A. The influence pf H-absorption on the cathodic response of high area nickel electrodes in alkaline solutions. Electrochimica Acta, 1994, 39(11): 1757–1761 https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4686(94)85161-1
42	Ahn S H, Hwang S J, Yoo S J, Choi I, Kim H J, Jang J H, Nam S W, Lim T H, Lim T, Kim S K, et al. Electrodeposited Ni dendrites with high activity and durability for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline water electrolysis. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2012, 22(30): 15153–15159 https://doi.org/10.1039/c2jm31439h
43	Wu L, Li Q, Wu C H, Zhu H, Mendoza-Garcia A, Shen B, Guo J, Sun S. Stable cobalt nanoparticles and their monolayer array as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2015, 137(22): 7071–7074 doi:10.1021/jacs.5b04142

[1]	Huixin Zhang, Jinying Liang, Bangwang Xia, Yang Li, Shangfeng Du. Ionic liquid modified Pt/C electrocatalysts for cathode application in proton exchange membrane fuel cells[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2019, 13(4): 695-701.
[2]	Evelyn Chalmers, Yi Li, Xuqing Liu. Molecular tailoring to improve polypyrrole hydrogels’ stiffness and electrochemical energy storage capacity[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2019, 13(4): 684-694.
[3]	Tao Zhang, Tewodros Asefa. Copper nanoparticles/polyaniline-derived mesoporous carbon electrocatalysts for hydrazine oxidation[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(3): 329-338.
[4]	Wenfu Xie, Zhenhua Li, Mingfei Shao, Min Wei. Layered double hydroxide-based core-shell nanoarrays for efficient electrochemical water splitting[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(3): 537-554.
[5]	Yan Zhang, Jian Xiao, Qiying Lv, Shuai Wang. Self-supported transition metal phosphide based electrodes as high-efficient water splitting cathodes[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(3): 494-508.
[6]	Mingyu Pi, Xiaodeng Wang, Dingke Zhang, Shuxia Wang, Shijian Chen. A 3D porous WP₂ nanosheets@carbon cloth flexible electrode for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(3): 425-432.
[7]	Meifeng Hao, Mingshu Xiao, Lihong Qian, Yuqing Miao. Synthesis of cobalt vanadium nanomaterials for efficient electrocatalysis of oxygen evolution[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(3): 409-416.
[8]	WANG Jixiao, LIU Rui, ZHANG Xiaoyan, ZHOU Zhibin, WANG Zhi, WANG Shichang. Preparation and sedimentation behavior of conductive polymeric nanoparticles[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2008, 2(3): 231-235.

Viewed

Full text

Abstract

Cited

Shared

Discussed