Open AccessSelf-assembled NiTe2 nanocrystals as highly efficient and stable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction
Author(s) -
Xinqiang Wang,
Yuanfu Chen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
iop conference series. materials science and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1757-899X
pISSN - 1757-8981
DOI - 10.1088/1757-899x/892/1/012003
Subject(s) - overpotential , tafel equation , electrocatalyst , nanocrystal , catalysis , materials science , nanostructure , nanotechnology , noble metal , chemical engineering , electrochemistry , chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , engineering
To develop high-efficient electrocatalysts with excellent stability for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a crucial way to alleviate the serious energy crisis. Recently, transition metal tellurides have been reported as promising catalysts for HER. Herein, self-assembled NiTe 2 nanostructures including nanocrystals (NCs) and nanoplates (NPs) were synthesized in different solvents by a facile solvothermal method. As novel electrocatalysts, NiTe 2 nanostructures show highly efficient HER performance in acidic medium. Particularly, NiTe 2 NCs exhibit much faster kinetics for HER. Compared with NiTe 2 NPs, NiTe 2 NCs demonstrate superior HER performance with a low onset overpotential of 317 mV vs. RHE and a very small Tafel slope of 36 mV dec −1 , which is close to that of noble platinum (Pt) catalyst (30 mV dec −1 ). Moreover, it exhibits excellent stability with more than 95% high current retention after being tested for 1500 voltammetry cycles. The outstanding HER activity of NiTe 2 NCs is attributed to its unique interconnection nanostructure and high conductivity. It is promising for NiTe 2 NCs as a highly efficient non-noble-metal electrocatalyst to replace Pt-based materials for hydrogen evolution.