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Synergistic F/Mo Codoping in Ni2P for Microenvironment Engineering in Urea Oxidation: Pathway Regulation and
Xingzhuo Han1, Peng Wu1, Yibo Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, MOE Key Laboratory of Cluster Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|February 3, 2026
Summary
A novel F/Mo codoped Ni-based catalyst (F-MoNiP) boosts urea oxidation reaction (UOR) for efficient hydrogen production. This catalyst lowers overpotential and enhances selectivity, offering a sustainable energy alternative.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- The urea oxidation reaction (UOR) presents a thermodynamically favorable alternative to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for energy applications.
- Existing nickel-based UOR catalysts are limited by high Ni3+ oxidation potentials and poor selectivity, hindering their practical implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an advanced nickel-based catalyst with enhanced activity and selectivity for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR).
- To investigate the synergistic effects of fluorine (F) and molybdenum (Mo) codoping on the catalytic performance of nickel phosphide (NiP) nanotubes.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of an amorphous, F/Mo codoped Ni-based catalyst with a nanotube structure (F-MoNiP).
- Electrochemical characterization to evaluate catalytic activity and selectivity for UOR.
- Analysis of reaction pathways and intermediate species to understand the catalytic mechanism.
Main Results:
- The F/Mo codoping strategy facilitated the formation of active NiOOH species at low overpotentials, significantly boosting UOR activity.
- The catalyst promoted urea decomposition via the preferred carbonate pathway and suppressed competing oxygen evolution reactions by minimizing hydroxide adsorption.
- F-MoNiP achieved a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at a cell voltage of 1.395 V in urea-assisted water electrolysis.
Conclusions:
- The developed F-MoNiP catalyst demonstrates superior performance for urea oxidation, offering an efficient and sustainable pathway for hydrogen production.
- Synergistic F/Mo codoping effectively optimizes nickel-based catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion, addressing limitations of previous materials.
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