Construction of FeP Hollow Nanoparticles Densely Encapsulated in Carbon Nanosheet Frameworks for Efficient and Durable Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

ABSTRACT: Developing noble-metal-free based electrocatalysts with high activity, good stability, and low cost is critical for large-scale hydrogen production via water splitting. In this work, hollow FeP nanoparticles densely encapsulated in carbon nanosheet frameworks (donated as hollow FeP/C nanosheets), in situ converted from Fe-glycolate precursor nanosheets through carbonization and subsequent phosphorization, are designed and synthesized as an advanced electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction. FeP hollow nanoparticles are transformed from intermediate Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles through the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. The two-dimensional architecture, densely embedding FeP hollow nanoparticles, provides abundant accessible active sites and short electron and ion pathways. The in situ generated carbon nanosheet frameworks can not only offer a conductive network but also protect the active FeP from oxidation. As a result, hollow FeP/C nanosheets exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction in 0.5 m H₂SO₄ with a quite low overpotential of 51.1 mV at 10 mA cm^-2, small Tafel slope of 41.7 mV dec^-1, and remarkable long-term stability. The study highlights the in situ synthesis of two-dimensional metal phosphide/C nanocomposites with highly porous features for advanced energy storage and conversion.

SUBMITTER: Ma FX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6364707 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature