Intramolecular electronic coupling in porous iron cobalt (oxy)phosphide nanoboxes enhances the electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution

• Published in: Energy & environmental science Vol. 12; no. 11; pp. 3348 - 3355
• Main Authors: Zhang, Huabin, Zhou, Wei, Dong, Juncai, Lu, Xue Feng, Lou, Xiong Wen (David)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 01.01.2019
• Subjects: Atomic properties; Catalysts; Cobalt; Computer applications; Construction; Coupling; Electrocatalysts; Electrochemical analysis; Evolution; Iron; Oxidation; Oxygen; Oxygen evolution reactions; Phosphides; Water splitting; X ray absorption
• ISSN: 1754-5692; 1754-5706
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ee02787d

Efficient electrocatalysts are of great importance in improving the water splitting efficiency. Herein, we develop a self-templating strategy to construct porous iron cobalt (oxy)phosphide (Fe-Co-P) nanoboxes as promising pre-catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline solution. The constructed Fe-Co-P nanoboxes exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity and afford a current density of 10 mA cm −2 at a small overpotential of 269 mV. Moreover, the structural evolution of the metal phosphides in the oxygen evolution process has been well monitored. X-ray absorption near-edge structure analyses and computational studies reveal that the structural merits and the effective intramolecular electronic coupling between the Fe and Co atoms via P/O bridges are responsible for the greatly improved electrocatalytic activity. The effective intramolecular electronic coupling between the Fe and Co atoms via P/O bridges greatly enhances the electrocatalytic activity of Fe-Co (oxy)phosphide nanoboxes.