Arrayed Cobalt Phosphide Electrocatalyst Achieves Low Energy Consumption and Persistent H2 Liberation from Anodic Chemical Conversion

摘要

Electrochemical reduction of water to hydrogen(H2) offers a promising strategy for production of clean energy,but the design and optimization of electrochemical apparatus present challenges in terms of H2 recovery and energy consumption.Using cobalt phosphide nanoarrays(Co2 P/CoP NAs) as a charge mediator,we effectively separated the H2 and O2 evolution of alkaline water electrolysis in time,thereby achieving a membrane-free pathway for H2 purification.The hierarchical array structure and synergistic optimization of the electronic configuration of metallic Co2 P and metalloid CoP make the Co2 P/CoP NAs high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalysts for both charge storage and hydrogen evolution.Theoretical investigations revealed that the introduction of Co2 P into CoP leads to a moderate hydrogen adsorption free energy and low water dissociation barrier,which are beneficial for boosting HER activity.Meanwhile,Co2 P/CoP NAs with high capacitance could maintain a cathodic H2 evolution time of 1500 s at 10 mA cm~(-2) driven by a low average voltage of 1.38 V.Alternatively,the energy stored in the mediator could be exhausted via coupling with the anodic oxidation of ammonia,whereby only 0.21 V was required to hold the current for 1188 s.This membrane-free architecture demonstrates the potential for developing hydrogen purification technology at low cost.