Coaxial Ni–S@N-Doped Carbon Nanofibers Derived Hierarchical Electrodes for Efficient H2 Production via Urea Electrolysis

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c19117
• Publication Date: 2021-01-15T04:39:18Z
• Authors: Yongxia Zhang; Yunfeng Qiu; Yanping Wang; Bing Li; Yuanyuan Zhang; Zhuo Ma; Shaoqin Liu
• Keywords: Oxygen evolution; Electrolysis of water

Electrochemical water splitting into hydrogen is a promising strategy for production powered by solar energy. However, the cell voltage of an electrolyzer still too high practical application, which mainly limited sluggish oxygen evolution reaction process. To this end, hybrid electrolyzers have drawn tremendous attention. Herein, coaxial Ni/Ni3S2@N-doped nanofibers are directly grown on nickel foam (NF), highly active reaction. Meanwhile, Ni3S2@N-doped NF prepared in Ar atmosphere display superior urea oxidation performance to previously reported catalysts. The about 1.50 V electrolysis deliver current density 20 mA cm–2, lower than that traditional (1.82 V). around 77% relative its initial value cm–2 after h, Pt/C|Ir/C-based (14%). It found synergistic effect between metallic Ni and Ni3S2, as well interfacial metal centers N-doped carbon, favors dissociation H2O adsorption/desorption H* with thermal neutral Gibbs free in-situ generated NiOOH outer surface Ni3S2 possessed electrochemical activation energy decomposition. abundant vacancies electrodes could expose more sites adsorption intermediates, including OOH*. also hierarchical nanostructure densely packed nanowires provides ideal electronic ionic transport paths fast electrocatalytic kinetics. present work indicated modulation compositions effective prepare efficient catalysts H2 via electrolysis.