Self-supported Ni3N nanoarray as an efficient nonnoble-metal catalyst for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 46; no. 53; pp. 27037 - 27043
• Main Authors: Liu, Wenna, Xia, Tianyi, Ye, Yumin, Wang, Hong, Fang, Zhi, Du, Zhentao, Hou, Xinmei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 03.08.2021
• Subjects: Hydrogen evolution reaction; Nanorods array; Ni foam; Ni3N; Nitridation; Nanorods array; Hydrogen evolution reaction; Ni3N; Nitridation; Ni foam
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2021.05.188

Efficient, robust and low-cost hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrodes are highly desirable for realizing the hydrogen economy. Transition metal nitrides with suitable hydrogen adsorption energy have been demonstrated as excellent HER catalysts. Here, we report a simple one-step nitridation method to fabricate Ni3N nanorod arrays on nickel foam (NF) for electrocatalytic water splitting. Large specific surface area and good conductivity endow the self-supported Ni3N/NF electrode extremely low overpotential of η10 = 45 mV and excellent cycle stability for the HER in 1 M KOH aqueous solution. Based on theoretical calculations, it is further verified that nitridation effectively endows NF more suitable free energy for hydrogen adsorption, which leads to an advanced HER activity of Ni3N/NF. •The Ni3N nanorods on Ni foam was fabricated through one-step nitridation method.•The self-supported Ni3N/NF electrode exhibited an excellent HER catalytic activity.•DFT calculations demonstrated Ni3N/NF owned more suitable ΔGH∗ for HER.