Urchin-like Co0.8-Mn0.2-P/CC nanowires array: a high-performance and cost-effective hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst

Using cost-effective materials to replace precious Pt-based hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts holds great foreground for energy saving and environmental protection. In this work, we successfully prepared an urchin-like Co-0.8-Mn-0.2-P nanowires array supported on carbon cloth (CC) through a hydrothermal-phosphatization strategy and we also systematically studied its electrocatalytic HER performance. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that our urchin-like Co-0.8-Mn-0.2-P/CC possesses outstanding HER activity in acidic and alkaline media. In 0.5 M H2SO4, this urchin-like Co-0.8-Mn-0.2-P/CC only requires an overpotential of 55 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm(-2), with the Tafel slope of 55.9 mV dec(-1). Similarly, when reaching the same current density, just a particularly low overpotential of 61 mV is required with a corresponding Tafel slope of 41.7 mV dec(-1) in 1 M KOH. Furthermore, this electrocatalyst exhibits superior stability with 1000 cycles of cyclic voltammetry and 24 h in the I-T test. Such excellent HER catalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between Co and Mn atoms and high electrochemical active surface area (ECSA). Our work provides a valuable synthesis strategy of non-precious and high HER performance catalytic material. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.