Atomically Thin Holey Two-Dimensional Ru2P Nanosheets for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis

The defect engineering of low-dimensional nanostructured materials has led to increased scientific efforts owing to their high efficiency concerning high-performance electrocatalysts that play a crucial role in renewable energy technologies. Herein, we report an efficient methodology for fabricating atomically thin, holey metal-phosphide nanosheets with excellent electrocatalyst functionality. Two-dimensional, subnanometer-thick, holey Ru2P nanosheets containing crystal defects were synthesized via the phosphidation of monolayer RuO2 nanosheets. Holey Ru2P nanosheets exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) compared to that exhibited by nonholey Ru2P nanoparticles. Further, holey Ru2P nanosheets exhibited overpotentials of 17 and 26 mV in acidic and alkaline electrolytes, respectively. Thus, they are among the best performing Ru-P-based HER catalysts reported to date. In situ spectroscopic investigations indicated that the holey nanosheet morphology enhanced the accumulation of surface hydrogen through the adsorption of protons and/or water, resulting in an increased contribution of the Volmer-Tafel mechanism toward the exceptional HER activity of these ultrathin electrocatalysts.

Automated summary

This study reports an efficient method for fabricating holey Ru2P nanosheets with excellent electrocatalytic activity. The holey nanosheets exhibit superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity compared to that of nonholey nanoparticles. In situ spectroscopic investigations show that the holey nanosheet morphology enhances the accumulation of surface hydrogen, resulting in the exceptional HER activity of these electrocatalysts.