Interface-engineered Ni/CePO4 heterostuctures for efficient electro-/photo-catalytic hydrogen evolution
Heng Ke, Jianzhi Wang, Ningbo Yu, Yuan Pu, Jianpeng Tan, Mixue Gong, Wenchong Zhang, Yanan Xue, Faquan Yu
Abstract
Developing suitable electrocatalyst/photocatalyst cocatalyst with electron transfer and desorption of hydrogen active sites is extremely significance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we develop a series of Ni/(m)CePO 4 catalyst with rich interfaces via thermal treatment at low temperature with Ni-BTC/CePO 4 as precursor. The as-synthesized Ni/(m)CePO 4 heterojunction possess compact heterogeneous interface, and large specific surface area by loading Ni nanosphere on CePO 4 nanowire. By carefully designing method, the powerfully intimated heterointerface between Ni and CePO 4 conducive to the conversion of adsorption energy toward H atoms and electron conductivity, which enhance the synergic effect for electro-/photo-catalytic HER performances. Impressively, the Ni/0.1CePO 4 catalyst renders outstanding electrocatalytic HER activity with an lowest overpotential of −120 mV at −10 mA cm −2 and a optimal Tafel slope of 72 mV dec −1 . The overpotential of Ni/0.1CePO 4 catalyst is −288 mV at −100 mA cm −2 , close to 20 wt% Pt/C. With Eosin Y as photosensitizer, the photocatalytic performance for H 2 generation speed is around 64 umol h −1 . Additionally, the Ni/0.1CePO 4 catalyst exhibits wonderful cycle stability in both electro-/photo-catalytic HER. The possible speculation of mechanisms of HER have also been proposed. This work provides a new insight into design HER catalysts for electro-/photo-catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction.