Non‐3d Metal Modulation of a 2D Ni–Co Heterostructure Array as Multifunctional Electrocatalyst for Portable Overall Water Splitting
Wenxian Liu, Linhai Yu, Ruilian Yin, Xilian Xu, Jinxiu Feng, Xuan Jiang, Dong Zheng, Xinlong Gao, Xiaobin Gao, Wenbin Que, Pengchao Ruan, Fangfang Wu, Wenhui Shi, Xiehong Cao
Abstract
Abstract Portable water splitting devices driven by rechargeable metal–air batteries or solar cells are promising, however, their scalable usages are still hindered by lack of suitable multifunctional electrocatalysts. Here, a highly efficient multifunctional electrocatalyst is demonstrated, i.e., 2D nanosheet array of Mo‐doped NiCo 2 O 4 /Co 5.47 N heterostructure deposited on nickel foam (Mo‐NiCo 2 O 4 /Co 5.47 N/NF). The successful doping of non‐3d high‐valence metal into a heterostructured nanosheet array, which is directly grown on a conductive substrate endows the resultant catalyst with balanced electronic structure, highly exposed active sites, and binder‐free electrode architecture. As a result, the Mo‐NiCo 2 O 4 /Co 5.47 N/NF exhibits remarkable catalytic activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), affording high current densities of 50 mA cm −2 at low overpotentials of 310 mV for OER, and 170 mV for HER, respectively. Moreover, a low voltage of 1.56 V is achieved for the Mo‐NiCo 2 O 4 /Co 5.47 N/NF‐based water splitting cell to reach 10 mA cm −2 . More importantly, a portable overall water splitting device is demonstrated through the integration of a water‐splitting cell and two Zn–air batteries (open‐circuit voltage of 1.43 V), which are all fabricated based on Mo‐NiCo 2 O 4 /Co 5.47 N/NF, demonstrating a low‐cost way to generate fuel energy. This work offers an effective strategy to develop high‐performance metal‐doped heterostructured electrode.