The Highly Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Performance of MOF-Derived Nitrogen-Doped CoO/Ni2P/NF Electrodes
摘要
The development of highly efficient non-precious metal catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) that can maintain stability at elevated current densities remains a significant challenge in advancing the industrialization of hydrogen production via water splitting. In this study, we successfully constructed a metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived nitrogen-doped CoO/Ni₂P three-dimensional self-supporting electrode on nickel foam (NF) using a hydrothermal phosphating strategy. This architecture leverages the three-dimensional framework of NF to mitigate the structural collapse of MOF materials during high-temperature heat treatment and to establish an effective conductive network. Structural characterization reveals that the three-dimensional porous channels of the electrode fully expose the active sites, while the synergistic effects of nitrogen doping and CoO/Ni₂P optimize the electronic structure of the Co active center, thereby significantly enhancing intrinsic activity. In a 1.0 mol/L KOH electrolyte, this electrode requires an exceptionally low potential of 39 mV and 187 mV to achieve current densities of 10 mA cm− 2 and 650 mA cm− 2, respectively, and it can operate stably for over 24 h at a high current of 650 mA cm− 2 with negligible performance degradation. This study offers novel insights for the design of HER catalysts suitable for industrial applications.
Graphical Abstract