Atomically isolated nickel species anchored on graphitized carbon for efficient hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10667
• Publication Date: 2016-02-10T10:45:23Z
• Authors: Lili Fan; Peng Fei Liu; Xuecheng Yan; Lin Gu; Zhen Zhong Yang; Hua Gui Yang; Shilun Qiu; Xiangdong Yao
• Keywords: Electrolysis of water; Carbon fibers

Hydrogen production through electrochemical process is at the heart of key renewable energy technologies including water splitting and hydrogen fuel cells. Despite tremendous efforts, exploring cheap, efficient durable electrocatalysts for evolution still remains as a great challenge. Here we synthesize nickel-carbon-based catalyst, from carbonization metal-organic frameworks, to replace currently best-known platinum-based materials electrocatalytic evolution. This catalyst can be activated obtain isolated nickel atoms on graphitic carbon support when applying potential, exhibiting highly performance with high exchange current density 1.2 mA cm(-2) impressive durability. work may enable new opportunities designing tuning properties atomic scale large-scale electrolysis.