Heterogeneous Ni‐Boride/Phosphide Anchored Amorphous B‐C Layer for Overall Water Electrocatalysis

• Published in: ChemSusChem Vol. 17; no. 17; pp. e202301547 - n/a
• Main Authors: Song, Shiwei, Wang, Yanhui, Liu, Yucan, Tian, Pengfei, Zang, Jianbing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 09.09.2024
• Subjects: Amorphous B−C layer; Bifunctional electrocatalyst; Borides; Boron carbide; Electrocatalysis; Electrocatalysts; Electroless plating; Electrolysis; Electron transport; Electroplating; High temperature; Hydrogen production; Metal foams; Ni-boride/ phosphide; Overall water electrolysis; Phosphides; Stability; Transition metals; Water splitting; Bifunctional electrocatalyst; Amorphous B−C layer; Ni-boride/ phosphide; Overall water electrolysis
• ISSN: 1864-5631; 1864-564X; 1864-564X
• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202301547

The rational design of efficient and economical bifunctional electrocatalysts remained a challenge for overall water electrolysis. In this work, the Ni‐boride/ phosphide particles anchored amorphous B‐doped carbon layer with hierarchical porous characteristics in Ni foam (Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF) was fabricated for overall water splitting. The Boroncarbide (B4C) power was filled and fixed in the NF interspace through the electroplating and electroless plating, and then annealed in vacuum high temperature. The amorphous B−C layer derived from the B4 C not only speeded up the electron transport, but also cooperate with Ni‐boride/phosphide to enhance the electrocatalytic activity for HER and OER synergistically. Furthermore, the hierarchical porous architecture of Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF increased space utilization to load more active materials. The self‐supported Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF electrode possessed a low overpotential of 212 and 280 mV to deliver 100 mA cm−2 for HER and OER, respectively, and high stability for 48 h. In particular, the electrolyzer constituted with the Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF bifunctional electrocatalyst only required a voltage of 1.59 V at 50 mA cm−2 for water electrocatalysis under alkaline medium, and demonstrated long‐term stability for 48 h. This study provides a new technical path for the development of bifunctional of transition metal borides to promote the application of hydrogen production from water splitting. The Ni‐boride/phosphide particles anchored amorphous B‐doped carbon layer with hierarchical porous characteristics in Ni foam (Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF) was constructed for overall water splitting. Benefitting from the synergistic effect between Ni3P and Ni3B, the amorphous B−C layer and high space utilization of NF, the Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF electrocatalyst exhibited a desirable activity and durability for water electrolysis.