Tuning the electronic structure of NiCoP arrays through V doping for pH-universal hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst

doi:10.1007/s11705-020-2014-x

Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (5) : 1134-1146 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-020-2014-x

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Tuning the electronic structure of NiCoP arrays through V doping for pH-universal hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst

Yu Lin, Jinlei Wang, Duanlin Cao, Yaqiong Gong(

)

School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China

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Abstract

The exploration of cost-effective, high-performance, and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) over wide pH range (0–14) is of paramount importance for future renewable energy conversion technologies. Regulation of electronic structure through doping vanadium atoms is a feasible construction strategy to enhance catalytic activities, electron transfer capability, and stability of the HER electrode. Herein, V-doped NiCoP nanosheets on carbon fiber paper (CFP) (denoted as V_x-NiCoP/CFP) were constructed by doping V modulation on NiCoP nanosheets on CFP and used for pH-universal HER. Benefiting from the abundant catalytic sites and optimized hydrogen binding thermodynamics, the resultant V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP demonstrates a significantly improved HER catalytic activity, requiring overpotentials of 46.5, 52.4, and 85.3 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA·cm^–2 in 1 mol·L^–1 KOH, 0.5 mol·L^–1H₂SO₄, and 1 mol·L^–1 phosphate buffer solution (PBS) electrolytes, respectively. This proposed cation-doping strategy provides a new inspiration to rationally enhance or design new-type nonprecious metal-based, highly efficient, and pH-universal electrocatalysts for various energy conversion systems.

Keywords hydrogen evolution reaction transition metal phosphides pH-universal vanadium doping carbon fiber paper

Corresponding Author(s): Yaqiong Gong

Just Accepted Date: 11 January 2021 Online First Date: 12 March 2021 Issue Date: 30 August 2021

Cite this article:

Yu Lin,Jinlei Wang,Duanlin Cao, et al. Tuning the electronic structure of NiCoP arrays through V doping for pH-universal hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2021, 15(5): 1134-1146.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-020-2014-x
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2021/V15/I5/1134

Fig.1 Schematic representation for the synthesis process of V doped NiCoP nanosheets on CFP (V-NiCoP/CFP).

Fig.2 XRD patterns of NiCoP/CFP (black line) and V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP (red line).

Fig.3 SEM images of (a, a′) pristine CFP, (b, b′) NiCoP/CFP, (c, c′) V₁₀-NiCoP/CFP, (d, d′) V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP, and (e, e′) V₂₀-NiCoP/CFP.

Fig.4 (a, b) TEM images and (c) the corresponding HR-TEM image of V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP; (d) the SAED pattern of the V₁₅-NiCoP; (e) elemental mapping analysis of V, Ni, Co and P.

Fig.5 XPS spectra of NiCoP/CFP and V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP: (a) Ni 2p; (b) Co 2p; (c) P 2p; (d) V 2p.

Fig.6 Comparision of electrocatalytic HER in alkaline media. (a) The HER polarization curves for different catalysts at a scan rate of 5 mV·s^–1; (b) corresponding Tafel plots; (c) Nyquist plots of the as-prepared catalysts at an overpotential of –0.1 V vs. RHE and the corresponding equivalent circuit (inset); (d) the capacitive currents at different scan rates; (e) Multi-current process of V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP without iR-compensation (The current density started at 10 mA·cm^–2 and ended at 120 mA·cm^–2, with an increment of 10 mA·cm^–2 per 500 s); (f) the current density-time curve of V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP at an overpotential of 102 mV for 48 h.

Fig.7 (a) HER polarization curves and (b) corresponding Tafel plots for the NiCoP/CFP, V₁₀-NiCoP/CFP, V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP, and V₂₀-NiCoP/CFP in 0.5 mol·L^–1 H₂SO₄ solution at a scan rate of 5 mV·s^–1; (c) multi-current process of V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP in 0.5 mol·L^–1 H₂SO₄ without iR-compensation; (d) the chronoamperometric curve of V₁₅-NiCoP/CFP at a static overpotential of 97 mV for 48 h; (e) LSV curves of as-prepared samples in 1 mol·L^–1 PBS; (f) the corresponding Tafel plots of the catalysts in 1 mol·L^–1 PBS.

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[1]	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.
[2]	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.
[3]	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.

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