Based on the principle of heterogeneous catalysis for water electrolysis, electrocatalysts with appropriate electronic structure and photothermal property are expected to drive the oxygen evolution reaction effectively. Herein, amorphous NiS x -coupled nanourchin-like Co3O4 was prepared on nickel foam (NiS x @Co3O4/NF) and investigated as a electrocatalyst for photothermal-assisted oxygen evolution reaction. The experimental investigations and simulant calculations jointly revealed NiS x @Co3O4/NF to be of suitable electronic structure and high near-infrared photothermal conversion capability to achieve the oxygen evolution reaction advantageously both in thermodynamics and in kinetics. Relative to Co3O4/NF and NiS x /NF, better oxygen evolution reaction activity, kinetics, and stability were achieved on NiS x @Co3O4/NF in 1.0 M KOH owing to the NiS x /Co3O4 synergetic effect. In addition, the oxygen evolution reaction performance of NiS x @Co3O4/NF can be obviously enhanced under near-infrared light irradiation, since NiS x @Co3O4 can absorb the near-infrared light to produce electric and thermal field. For the photothermal-mediated oxygen evolution reaction, the overpotential and Tafel slope of NiS x @Co3O4/NF at 50 mA cm–2 were reduced by 23 mV and 13 mV/dec, respectively. The present work provides an inspiring reference to design and develop photothermal-assisted water electrolysis using abundant solar energy.

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Relative to the traditional homogeneous Fenton process, heterogeneous photo-Fenton system be of superiorities in cost, pH range of application, and environmental compatibility for the degradation of organic pollutants. For the...