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A Hydrogen‐Deficient Nickel–Cobalt Double Hydroxide for Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting
Author(s) -
Wang Min,
Wang JiaQi,
Xi Cong,
Cheng ChuanQi,
Zou ChengQin,
Zhang Rui,
Xie YaMeng,
Guo ZhongLu,
Tang ChengChun,
Dong CunKu,
Chen YongJun,
Du XiWen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202002650
Subject(s) - water splitting , hydroxide , nickel , cobalt , oxygen evolution , catalysis , photocatalysis , hydrogen , materials science , irradiation , hydrogen production , alloy , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , electrochemistry , metallurgy , electrode , physics , biochemistry , organic chemistry , nuclear physics
Developing highly efficient and low‐cost photocatalysts for overall water splitting has long been a pursuit for converting solar power into clean hydrogen energy. Herein, we demonstrate that a nonstoichiometric nickel–cobalt double hydroxide can achieve overall water splitting by itself upon solar light irradiation, avoiding the consumption of noble‐metal co‐catalysts. We employed an intensive laser to ablate a NiCo alloy target immersed in alkaline solution, and produced so‐called L‐NiCo nanosheets with a nonstoichiometric composition and O 2− /Co 3+ ions exposed on the surface. The nonstoichiometric composition broadens the band gap, while O 2− and Co 3+ ions boost hydrogen and oxygen evolution, respectively. As such, the photocatalyst achieves a H 2 evolution rate of 1.7 μmol h −1 under AM 1.5G sunlight irradiation and an apparent quantum yield (AQE) of 1.38 % at 380 nm.