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Colloidal Synthesis of Mo–Ni Alloy Nanoparticles as Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Efficient Overall Water Splitting
Author(s) -
Zhang Taotao,
Liu Xiaowang,
Cui Xin,
Chen Meilin,
Liu Shoujie,
Geng Baoyou
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced materials interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.671
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 2196-7350
DOI - 10.1002/admi.201800359
Subject(s) - bifunctional , materials science , oxygen evolution , water splitting , electrolysis , nanoparticle , electrocatalyst , electrolysis of water , chemical engineering , alloy , oleylamine , catalysis , electrochemistry , electrolyte , noble metal , reversible hydrogen electrode , alkaline water electrolysis , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , electrode , metallurgy , metal , working electrode , photocatalysis , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
The practical use of overall water electrolysis is largely hindered by the need for precious noble metal‐based catalysts. Here, the colloidal synthesis of earth‐abundant electrocatalysts of Mo–Ni nanoparticles for efficient water splitting by thermal decomposition of Ni(acac) 2 and Mo(CO) 6 in the presence of 1‐octadecene and oleylamine at 320 °C is reported. It is shown that the optimized catalysts (Mo 0.6 Ni 0.4 ) only require low overpotentials of 0.065 V for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and of 290 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm −2 in KOH (1.0 m ). The as‐prepared Mo–Ni alloy nanoparticles also show extraordinary durability for both the HER and OER. A low potential of ≈1.62 V is required to yield a current density of 10 mA cm −2 when utilizing the alloy nanoparticles as bifunctional catalysts in a two‐electrode electrolyzer system. The ease of preparing either rigid or flexible high‐performance electrodes by making use of the alloy nanoparticle electrocatalysts without the need for binder further suggests the attractive application of colloidally stable nanoparticles in the field of electrochemical water splitting.