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Electroactive Edge‐Site‐Enriched α‐Co 0.9 Fe 0.1 (OH) x Nanoplates for Efficient Overall Water Splitting
Author(s) -
Liu Yangxing,
Li Yunwei,
Yuan Gang,
Zhang Junfeng,
Zhang Xiangwen,
Wang Qingfa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201900340
Subject(s) - overpotential , tafel equation , water splitting , electrocatalyst , oxygen evolution , bifunctional , transition metal , catalysis , materials science , valence (chemistry) , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , electrochemistry , electrode , biochemistry , organic chemistry , photocatalysis , engineering
Developing efficient electrocatalysts from the earth‐abundant transition‐metal family is a great challenge for overall water splitting. Herein, we developed an approach to regulate the morphology and electronic structure of α‐Co 0.9 Fe 0.1 (OH) x nanoplates, in which FeCl 2 (as a precursor) plays a significant role under reflux conditions. The resulting 2D α‐Co 0.9 Fe 0.1 (OH) x nanoplates exhibit more accessible edge active sites and more high‐valence Co species to boost its intrinsic activity. Therefore, this electrocatalyst shows outstanding oxygen evolution reaction performance (with an overpotential of 225 mV at 10 mA cm −2 and a Tafel slope of 39 mV dec −1 and good stability) and excellent activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (with an overpotential of 122 mV at 10 mA cm −2 ) in 1M KOH solution. When employed as bifunctional electrocatalysts on both the anode and cathode for overall water splitting, α‐Co 0.9 Fe 0.1 (OH) x can afford 10 mA cm −2 at 1.62 V with long‐term stability. The one‐pot synthesis of 2D Fe‐doped transition‐metal hydroxide nanoplates enriched with abundant edge sites may provide a new strategy for fabricating efficient overall water splitting catalysts.