Graphene oxide supported cobalt phosphide nanorods designed from a molecular complex for efficient hydrogen evolution
Alpesh K Sharma1, Hemant Joshi, Kasinath Ojha
1Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India. aksingh@chemistry.iitd.ac.in.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|February 1, 2019
Summary
Researchers synthesized cobalt phosphide (Co2P) nanorods from a cobalt complex. Grafted onto graphene oxide, these nanorods demonstrate exceptional hydrogen evolution activity and stability, paving the way for efficient catalysis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Catalysis
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution is crucial for renewable energy technologies.
- Nanostructured materials offer unique properties for catalytic applications.
- Graphene oxide is a versatile support material with excellent conductivity and surface area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize uniform cobalt phosphide (Co2P) nanorods.
- To investigate the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of Co2P nanorods grafted on graphene oxide.
- To evaluate the stability of the synthesized electrocatalyst.
Main Methods:
- Thermolysis of the molecular inorganic complex [CoCl2(PPh3)2] to produce Co2P nanorods.
- Grafting of Co2P nanorods onto graphene oxide.
- Electrochemical characterization of the Co2P/graphene oxide composite for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity and stability testing.
Main Results:
- Uniform Co2P nanorods were successfully synthesized.
- The Co2P/graphene oxide composite exhibited ultra-high hydrogen evolution activity, achieving a cathodic current density of 100 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 154 mV.
- The electrocatalyst demonstrated excellent stability, maintaining its performance for at least 70 hours.
Conclusions:
- The thermolysis of [CoCl2(PPh3)2] is an effective method for producing Co2P nanorods.
- Grafting Co2P nanorods onto graphene oxide creates a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution.
- This Co2P/graphene oxide composite shows significant potential for applications in water splitting and renewable energy.
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