Exploring The Synergistic Effect Of CoSeP/CoP Interface Catalyst For Efficient Urea Electrolysis.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Renewable Energy

Background:

• Electrocatalytic oxidation of urea (UOR) presents a promising, energy-efficient alternative to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for hydrogen production.
• Developing efficient catalysts is crucial for advancing urea electrolysis technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a CoSeP/CoP interface catalyst for enhanced urea electrocatalytic oxidation (UOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
• To evaluate the catalyst's performance in both pure urea and human urine electrolysis, assessing its efficiency and durability.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal, solvothermal, and in situ template synthesis methods were employed to create the CoSeP/CoP interface catalyst on nickel foam.
• Electrochemical testing, including overpotential measurements for HER and cell voltage determination for overall urea electrolysis, was conducted.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to investigate the catalyst's surface interactions and reaction mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The CoSeP/CoP interface catalyst exhibited a low overpotential of 33.7 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² during HER.
• The overall urea electrolysis achieved a cell voltage of 1.36 V at 10 mA cm⁻².
• The catalyst demonstrated robust performance in human urine electrolysis (1.40 V at 10 mA cm⁻²) with durable cycling stability at 100 mA cm⁻².

Conclusions:

• The synergistic effect at the CoSeP/CoP interface significantly enhances catalytic activity for urea electrolysis.
• The catalyst shows excellent potential for practical hydrogen production from urea, including in complex media like human urine.