Constructing 2D Fe-doped CoP nanosheets for high-efficiency hydrogen evolution in alkaline media

Designing and developing high-performance and low-cost non-precious metal electrocatalysts toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are vitally desirable for future hydrogen application. Herein, we found that heteroatom doping was an effective method to improve the electrocatalytic performance of transition metal phosphide for HER. In this work, Fe-doped CoP nanosheets (NSs) were successfully prepared as an efficient HER electrocatalyst using a facile hydrothermal and phosphorization process. Specifically, the doping of Fe regulates the morphology of the catalyst, which can expose more active sites and modulate the electronic structures of CoP, thereby promoting the mass transfer kinetics of the HER process. With these advantages, the resultant Fe-1.5-CoP NSs (the doping amount of Fe is 1.5 wt %) exhibited outstanding HER catalytic activity to reach a current density of 10 mA cm(-2) with a low overpotential of 115 mV, which dramatically outperforms that of pristine CoP. Moreover, the Fe-l.5-CoP NSs also displayed a good durability, which was proved by the 12-h chronoamperometry test.

Automated summary

In this study, Fe-doped CoP nanosheets were prepared as efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts through heteroatom doping. The doping of Fe regulated the morphology and electronic structures of the catalyst, promoting the mass transfer kinetics of HER and significantly improving the catalytic performance. The Fe-1.5-CoP nanosheets showed outstanding HER activity with a low overpotential, and also exhibited good durability.