Superior hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis enabled by CoP nanowire array on graphite felt

Renewable electricity-powered hydrogen production is an attractive alternative to unsustainable industrial processes, but the large-scale implantation of such sustainable technology still requires efficient and noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for driving cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), especially under alkaline conditions. In this paper, CoP nanowire array was in-situ developed on porous graphite felt (CoP/GF) as a new 3D electrocatalyst in facilitating hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis. This CoP/GF presents outstanding HER activity, requiring a low overpotential of 130 mV to deliver a current density of 20 mA cm-2 as tested in 1.0 M KOH. Furthermore, this free-standing catalyst exhibits impressive long-term durability of up to 50 h under working conditions. (c) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Renewable electricity-powered hydrogen production serves as an attractive alternative to unsustainable industrial processes, yet the large-scale implementation requires efficient and noble-metal-free electrocatalysts. This study introduces a CoP nanowire array on porous graphite felt as a new 3D electrocatalyst for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction, showing impressive activity and long-term durability under alkaline conditions.