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Vertical Growth of 2D Amorphous FePO 4 Nanosheet on Ni Foam: Outer and Inner Structural Design for Superior Water Splitting
Author(s) -
Yang Lei,
Guo Zenglong,
Huang Jing,
Xi Yaoning,
Gao Rongjie,
Su Ge,
Wang Wei,
Cao Lixin,
Dong Bohua
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201704574
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , materials science , nanosheet , oxygen evolution , bifunctional , water splitting , amorphous solid , rational design , chemical engineering , electrode , nanotechnology , catalysis , electrochemistry , chemistry , crystallography , organic chemistry , photocatalysis , engineering
Rational design of highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts based on 3D transition‐metal‐based materials for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of great importance for sustainable energy conversion processes. Herein, a novel strategy involving outer and inner structural engineering is developed for superior water splitting via in situ vertical growth of 2D amorphous FePO 4 nanosheets on Ni foam (Am FePO 4 /NF). Careful experiments and density functional theory calculations show that the inner and outer structural engineering contributing to the synergistic effects of 2D morphology, amorphous structure, conductive substrate, and Ni−Fe mixed phosphate lead to superior electrocatalytic activity toward OER and HER. Furthermore, a two‐electrode electrolyzer assembled using Am FePO 4 /NF as an electrocatalyst at both electrodes gives current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm −2 at potentials of 1.54 and 1.72 V, respectively, which is comparable to the best bifunctional electrocatalyst reported in the literature. The strategies, introduced in the present work, may open new opportunities for the rational design of other 3D transition‐metal‐based electrocatalyst through an outer and inner structural control to strengthen the electrocatalytic performance.