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Highly Active Electrocatalysis of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction by Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Popczun Eric J.,
Read Carlos G.,
Roske Christopher W.,
Lewis Nathan S.,
Schaak Raymond E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201402646
Subject(s) - overpotential , electrocatalyst , phosphide , nanoparticle , cobalt , hydrogen production , chemistry , catalysis , hydrogen , inorganic chemistry , chemical engineering , materials science , electrode , electrochemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , engineering
Nanoparticles of cobalt phosphide, CoP, have been prepared and evaluated as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under strongly acidic conditions (0.50 M H 2 SO 4 , pH 0.3). Uniform, multi‐faceted CoP nanoparticles were synthesized by reacting Co nanoparticles with trioctylphosphine. Electrodes comprised of CoP nanoparticles on a Ti support (2 mg cm −2 mass loading) produced a cathodic current density of 20 mA cm −2 at an overpotential of −85 mV. The CoP/Ti electrodes were stable over 24 h of sustained hydrogen production in 0.50 M H 2 SO 4 . The activity was essentially unchanged after 400 cyclic voltammetric sweeps, suggesting long‐term viability under operating conditions. CoP is therefore amongst the most active, acid‐stable, earth‐abundant HER electrocatalysts reported to date.