Solid‐state electrocatalysis plays a crucial role in the development of renewable energy to reshape current and future energy needs. However, finding an inexpensive and highly active catalyst to replace precious metals remains a big challenge for this technology. Here, tri‐molybdenum phosphide (Mo3P) is found as a promising nonprecious metal and earth‐abundant candidate with outstanding catalytic properties that can be used for electrocatalytic processes. The catalytic performance of Mo3P nanoparticles is tested in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The results indicate an onset potential of as low as 21 mV, H2formation rate, and exchange current density of 214.7 µmol s−1g−1cat(at only 100 mV overpotential) and 279.07 µA cm−2, respectively, which are among the closest values yet observed to platinum. Combined atomic‐scale characterizations and computational studies confirm that high density of molybdenum (Mo) active sites at the surface with superior intrinsic electronic properties are mainly responsible for the remarkable HER performance. The density functional theory calculation results also confirm that the exceptional performance of Mo3P is due to neutral Gibbs free energy (Δ
Recently, it has been shown that a semiconductor–insulator–graphene device can drive the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the graphene surface with a reduced onset potential by injecting hot electrons into graphene. However, the catalytic properties of graphene are limited by the large hydrogen adsorption energy and lack of electrochemically active sites. To address these limitations, a
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10452330
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Materials Interfaces
- Volume:
- 8
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 2196-7350
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract G H*) of the hydrogen (H) adsorption at above 1/2 monolayer (ML) coverage of the (110) surface, exceeding the performance of existing non‐noble metal catalysts for HER. -
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Abstract Transition metal‐nitrogen‐carbon materials with atomically dispersed active sites are promising catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) since they combine the strengths of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. However, the canonically symmetric active site usually exhibits poor OER intrinsic activity due to its excessively strong or weak oxygen species adsorption. Here, a catalyst with asymmetric MN4sites based on the 3‐s‐triazine of g‐C3N4(termed as a‐MN4@NC) is proposed. Compared to symmetric, the asymmetric active sites directly modulate the oxygen species adsorption via unifying planar and axial orbitals (d
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Considerable efforts are being made to find cheaper and more efficient alternatives to the currently commercially available catalysts based on precious metals for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). In this context, fullerenes have started to gain attention due to their suitable electronic properties and relatively easy functionalization. We found that the covalent functionalization of C 60 , C 70 and Sc 3 N@ I h C 80 with diazonium salts endows the fullerene cages with ultra-active charge polarization centers, which are located near the carbon-diazonium bond and improve the efficiency towards the molecular generation of hydrogen. To support our findings, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), double layer capacitance ( C dl ) and Mott–Schottky approximation were performed. Among all the functionalized fullerenes, DPySc 3 N@ I h C 80 exhibited a very low onset potential (−0.025 V vs. RHE) value, which is due to the influence of the inner cluster on the extra improvement of the electronic density states of the catalytic sites. For the first time, the covalent assembly of fullerenes and diazonium groups was used as an electron polarization strategy to build superior molecular HER catalytic systems.more » « less
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Abstract Nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) is a promising hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst by virtue of its metallic electrical conductivity and excellent stability in alkaline medium. However, the reported catalytic activities for Ni3S2are still relatively low. Herein, an effective strategy to boost the H adsorption capability and HER performance of Ni3S2through nitrogen (N) doping is demonstrated. N‐doped Ni3S2nanosheets achieve a fairly low overpotential of 155 mV at 10 mA cm−2and an excellent exchange current density of 0.42 mA cm−2in 1.0
m KOH electrolyte. The mass activity of 16.9 mA mg−1and turnover frequency of 2.4 s−1obtained at 155 mV are significantly higher than the values reported for other Ni3S2‐based HER catalysts, and comparable to the performance of best HER catalysts in alkaline medium. These experimental data together with theoretical analysis suggest that the outstanding catalytic activity of N‐doped Ni3S2is due to the enriched active sites with favorable H adsorption free energy. The activity in the Ni3S2is highly correlated with the coordination number of the surface S atoms and the charge depletion of neighbor Ni atoms. These new findings provide important guidance for future experimental design and synthesis of optimal HER catalysts.
