Controllable Surface Reorganization Engineering on Cobalt Phosphide Nanowire Arrays for Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Title Controllable Surface Reorganization Engineering on Cobalt Phosphide Nanowire Arrays for Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.
Authors K. Xu; H. Cheng; H. Lv; J. Wang; L. Liu; S. Liu; X. Wu; W. Chu; C. Wu; Y. Xie
Journal Adv Mater
DOI 10.1002/adma.201703322
Abstract

Developing highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts in alkaline media is considered significant and valuable for water splitting. Herein, it is demonstrated that surface reorganization engineering by oxygen plasma engraving on electocatalysts successfully realizes a dramatically enhanced alkaline HER activity. Taking CoP nanowire arrays grown on carbon cloth (denoted as CoP NWs/CC) as an example, the oxygen plasma engraving can trigger moderate CoOx species formation on the surface of the CoP NWs/CC, which is visually verified by the X-ray absorption fine structure, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) mapping. Benefiting from the moderate CoOx species formed on the surface, which can promote the water dissociation in alkaline HER, the surface reorganization of the CoP NWs/CC realizes almost fourfold enhanced alkaline HER activity and a 180 mV decreased overpotential at 100 mA cm-2 , compared with the pristine ones. More interestingly, this surface reorganization strategy by oxygen plasma engraving can also be effective to other electrocatalysts such as free-standing CoP, Co4 N, O-CoSe2 , and C-CoSe2 nanowires, which verifies the universality of the strategy. This work thus opens up new avenues for designing alkaline HER electrocatalysts based on oxygen plasma engraving.

Citation K. Xu; H. Cheng; H. Lv; J. Wang; L. Liu; S. Liu; X. Wu; W. Chu; C. Wu; Y. Xie.Controllable Surface Reorganization Engineering on Cobalt Phosphide Nanowire Arrays for Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.. Adv Mater Weinheim. 2018;30(1). doi:10.1002/adma.201703322

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Phosphorus

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Cobalt

See more Cobalt products. Cobalt (atomic symbol: Co, atomic number: 27) is a Block D, Group 9, Period 4 element with an atomic weight of 58.933195. Cobalt Bohr ModelThe number of electrons in each of cobalt's shells is 2, 8, 15, 2 and its electron configuration is [Ar]3d7 4s2. The cobalt atom has a radius of 125 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 192 pm. Cobalt was first discovered by George Brandt in 1732. In its elemental form, cobalt has a lustrous gray appearance. Cobalt is found in cobaltite, erythrite, glaucodot and skutterudite ores. Elemental CobaltCobalt produces brilliant blue pigments which have been used since ancient times to color paint and glass. Cobalt is a ferromagnetic metal and is used primarily in the production of magnetic and high-strength superalloys. Co-60, a commercially important radioisotope, is useful as a radioactive tracer and gamma ray source. The origin of the word Cobalt comes from the German word "Kobalt" or "Kobold," which translates as "goblin," "elf" or "evil spirit.

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