Ultrafine Metal Nanoparticles/N-Doped Porous Carbon Hybrids Coated on Carbon Fibers as Flexible and Binder-Free Water Splitting Catalysts

4 years ago

Ultrafine Metal Nanoparticles/N-Doped Porous Carbon Hybrids Coated on Carbon Fibers as Flexible and Binder-Free Water Splitting Catalysts

Bowei Zhang, Shi Chen, Nguyen Huy Tiep, Yongqi Zhang, Xun Cao, Hong Jin Fan, Xinhui Xia, Yizhong Huang, Haiyong He

By employing in situ reduction of metal precursor and metal-assisted carbon etching process, this study achieves a series of ultrafine transition metal-based nanoparticles (Ni–Fe, Ni–Mo) embedded in N-doped carbon, which are found efficient catalysts for electrolytic water splitting. The as-prepared hybrid materials demonstrate outstanding catalytic activities as non-noble metal electrodes rendered by the synergistic effect of bimetal elements and N-dopants, the improved electrical conductivity, and hydrophilism. Ni/Mo2C@N-doped porous carbon (NiMo-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)) and NiFe@N-doped carbon (NiFe-PVP) produce low overpotentials of 130 and 297 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 as catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction, respectively. In addition, these binder-free electrodes show long-term stability. Overall water splitting is also demonstrated based on the couple of NiMo-PVP||NiFe-PVP catalyzer. This represents a simple and effective synthesis method toward a new type of nanometal–carbon hybrid electrodes. A new way for metal–carbon composite: Ultrafine transition metal-based nanoparticles (Ni-Fe, Ni-Mo) embedded in N-doped carbon by employing in situ reduction of metal precursor and metal-assisted carbon etching process. They are applied as efficient hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction catalysts for water splitting.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201700220