Heterometallic Electrocatalysts Derived from High-Nuclearity Metal Clusters for Efficient Overall Water Splitting

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing cost-effective electrocatalysts is crucial for sustainable hydrogen fuel production.
• Current electrocatalysts often lack optimal surface affinity for reaction intermediates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel heterometallic electrocatalysts for efficient water splitting.
• To investigate the structure-activity relationship of the synthesized materials.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Ni₂P/MoS₂-CoMo₂S₄@C electrocatalysts using a high-nuclearity cluster precursor.
• Anchoring Ni₂P nanoparticles onto MoS₂-CoMo₂S₄@C nanosheets.
• Utilizing theoretical calculations to understand electronic structure and electron transfer.

Main Results:

• The optimized Ni₂P/MoS₂-CoMo₂S₄@C exhibited ultralow overpotentials: 198 mV for oxygen evolution and 73 mV for hydrogen evolution (at 10 mA cm^-2).
• Theoretical calculations confirmed enhanced electron transfer and continuous transport via heterojunction interfaces.
• An alkali electrolyzer using this catalyst achieved overall water splitting at a low cell voltage of 1.45 V (10 mA cm^-2) with excellent stability.

Conclusions:

• The Ni₂P/MoS₂-CoMo₂S₄@C electrocatalyst demonstrates superior performance for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions.
• The catalyst design facilitates efficient electron transfer and heterojunction formation, crucial for water splitting.
• This material holds significant promise for cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen fuel production.