Bifunctional Behavior of Pd/Ni Nanocatalysts on MOF-Derived Carbons for Alkaline Water-splitting

Metal-organic framework derived carbon (MOFDC) serves as supporting platforms for PdNi catalyst (Pd/Ni/MOFDC) and acid-treated nickel counterpart (Pd/AT-Ni/MOFDC). The two Pd-based electrocatalysts are tested for alkaline water-splitting (i. e., hydrogen evolution (HER) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER)). The results reveal better HER and OER kinetics for Pd/Ni/MOFDC than Pd/AT-Ni/MOFDC. DFT calculations show that the high performance of the Pd/Ni/MOFDC can be associated with its high conductivity toward adsorbed OH compared to the Pd/AT-Ni/MOFDC counterpart. The superior overall water-splitting of Pd/Ni/MOFDC describes the synergy between Ni/Ni(OH)(2) interface and nanostructured Pd for possible future application in an electrolyzer.