Ni3(PO4)2 with Pt nanoparticles in-situ decoration: a superior self-powered hydrogen production trifunctional
Zhuo Wang1, Meiting Wang1, Luan Fang1
1Key Laboratory of Preparation and Applications of Environmental Friendly Material of the Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Jilin Normal University, Changchun 130103, PR China.
Abstract:
Hydrogen produced through self-powered water-splitting can effectively meet the demand for miniaturized devices. However, the design of an efficient catalyst that integrates a zinc-air battery (ZAB) with a water-splitting cell is crucial for the development of such devices. In this study, we synthesized Pt/Ni3(PO4)2 on nickel foam (NF) via a two-step process. The resulting Pt/Ni3(PO4)2/NF exhibited significantly enhanced trifunctional properties (hydrogen evolution reaction, HER; oxygen evolution reaction, OER; oxygen reduction reaction, ORR) compared to the Ni3(PO4)2/NF precursor. Additionally, the ZAB assembled using Pt/Ni3(PO4)2/NF as the air-cathode demonstrated superior rechargeable performance compared to the Ni3(PO4)2/NF-based counterpart. Moreover, when Pt/Ni3(PO4)2/NF was directly used as both the cathode/anode for the water-splitting device and the air-cathode for the ZAB, the self-powered hydrolysis device exhibited excellent hydrogen production performance. Upon investigating the influence of in-situ decorated Pt nanoparticles, we found that these Pt nanoparticles: 1) facilitate the morphological reconstruction of Ni3(PO4)2, thus increasing the electrochemical surface area of the catalyst; 2) lower the hydrogen adsorption free energy of Pt/Ni3(PO4)2, and the associated OER theorical potential; 3) shift the d-band center of Pt/Ni3(PO4)2 closer to the Fermi level, ultimately enhancing its intrinsic catalytic activity. This work is expected to provide a foundation for experimental, theoretical, and practical applications of other Ni3(PO4)2-based multifunctional materials.
