Electrochemically assisted synthesis of three-dimensional FeP nanosheets to achieve high electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction

摘要

Iron phosphide (FeP) is a promising alternative catalyst for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to its low price, highly active catalytic sites and long-term anti acid corrosion. Herein, we report a very facile strategy to fabricate novel FeP nanosheets as a HER electrocatalyst. Three-dimensional interconnected nanosheet structures of Fe2O3 (3D Fe2O3 NS) were directly exfoliated from metal Fe wires by alternating current (AC) voltage disturbance, and a simple subsequent phosphorization process could easily convert gamma-Fe2O3 into FeP phase, which also maintained the 3D NS structure. Importantly, increasing the AC voltage resulted in the evolution of iron-containing nanostructures from nanoparticles to 2D nanosheets until the formation of 3D NS structure. Owing to the large specific surface area, enriched active sites and abundant hierarchical porous channels, as prepared 3D FeP NS has exhibited significantly enhanced electrocatalytic HER activities such as a cathode current density of 10 mA cm(-2) at a small overpotential of 88 mV, low Tafel slope (47.7 mV dec(-1)) and satisfactory long-term stability in acidic electrolyte. We expect that this simple and green synthetic strategy of transition metal phosphides will provide a promising prospect to innovate nonprecious HER electrocatalysts. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.