Adjustable antiperovskite cobalt-based nitrides as efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting

Exploring effective, stable and low-cost catalysts for overall water splitting, comprising the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), is always a prosperous topic in the electrochemical water splitting field. ANCo(3), a typical class of antiperovskite nitrides, in which both the A site and N content can be effectively modulated, is considered a promising class of catalysts for overall water splitting. Here, we report the overall water splitting results of Co-based antiperovskite nitrides for the first time. CuNCo3 nanosheets and CoN0.73Co3 nanowires on nickel foam (NF) are designed as OER and HER catalysts, respectively. The alkaline electrolyzer of CuNCo3/NF||CoN0.73Co3/NF for overall water splitting exhibits a low cell voltage of 1.53 V at 10 mA cm(-2) with high cycling stability. The results explore the applications of antiperovskite nitrides for overall water splitting and provide strategic guidance for the design of efficient catalyst materials.

Automated summary

This study reports the overall water splitting results using Co-based antiperovskite nitrides and designs CuNCo3 nanosheets and CoN0.73Co3 nanowires as efficient catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction and the hydrogen evolution reaction, respectively. The results demonstrate promising performance and high cycling stability of CuNCo3/NF||CoN0.73Co3/NF in overall water splitting.