Recent developments on iron and nickel-based transition metal nitrides for overall water splitting: A critical review

Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) have gained substantial interest to generate hydrogen from direct dissociation of water via catalytic strategy. Due to the unique noble metal like structure, high electric conductivity, corrosion resistance, broad pH stability and probable structural modifications TMNs are gauged as efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and overall water splitting (OWS) electrocatalysts. Iron and nickel based TMNs are considered as ideal electrocatalysts because of the abundance, low cost and high catalytic activity as compared to the expensive benchmark catalysts. However, the single phase TMNs have unsatisfactory performance due to inadequate M-H/M-OH bond strength. Most researchers have focused in designing advanced heterostructures by doping other metals, metallic compounds, and conductive substrates to improve catalytic performance due to the tailored electronic structure to modify M-H/M-OH bond strength, boost electrochemical stability and synergistic effects. In this review, we highlight the recent developments pertaining to Fe and Ni-based TMNs from the stance of advanced nanoarchitecture electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting. The key challenges and future perspectives confronting expansion of water splitting catalysts are critiqued. (c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) have emerged as efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and overall water splitting (OWS) due to their noble metal-like structure, high electric conductivity, corrosion resistance, broad pH stability and structural flexibility. Iron and nickel based TMNs, in particular, have been considered as ideal electrocatalysts due to their abundance, low cost and high catalytic activity. However, their single phase structures have shown unsatisfactory performance, leading to the development of advanced heterostructures by doping other metals, metallic compounds, and conductive substrates to enhance catalytic performance. In this review, recent advancements and challenges in Fe and Ni-based TMNs for electrochemical water splitting are highlighted.