Highly branched cobalt phosphide nanostructures for hydrogen-evolution electrocatalysis

By Popczun, Eric J.; Roske, Christopher W.; Read, Carlos G.; Crompton, J. Chance; McEnaney, Joshua M.; Callejas, Juan F.; Lewis, Nathan S. & Schaak, Raymond E.
Published in J. Mater. Chem. A The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015

Abstract

CoP nanostructures that exposed predominantly (111) crystal facets were synthesized and evaluated for performance as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER). The branched CoP nanostructures were synthesized by reacting cobalt(ii) acetylacetonate with trioctylphosphine in the presence of trioctylphosphine oxide. Electrodes comprised of the branched CoP nanostructures deposited at a loading density of [similar]1 mg cm-2 on Ti electrodes required an overpotential of -117 mV to produce a current density of -20 mA cm-2 in 0.50 M H?SO?. Hence the branched CoP nanostructures belong to the growing family of highly active non-noble-metal HER electrocatalysts. Comparisons with related CoP systems have provided insights into the impact that shape-controlled nanoparticles and nanoparticle-electrode interactions have on the activity and stability of nanostructured HER electrocatalysts.

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