Nickel Phosphide Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

The production of hydrogen through electrochemical water splitting driven by clean energy becomes a sustainable route for utilization of hydrogen energy, while an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst is required to achieve a high energy conversion efficiency. Nickel phosphides have been widely explored for electrocatalytic HER due to their unique electronic properties, efficient electrocatalytic performance, and a superior anti-corrosion feature. However, the HER activities of nickel phosphide electrocatalysts are still low for practical applications in electrolyzers, and further studies are necessary. Therefore, at the current stage, a specific comprehensive review is necessary to focus on the progresses of the nickel phosphide electrocatalysts. This review focuses on the developments of preparation approaches of nickel phosphides for HER, including a mechanism of HER, properties of nickel phosphides, and preparation and electrocatalytic HER performances of nickel phosphides. The progresses of the preparation and HER activities of the nickel phosphide electrocatalysts are mainly discussed by classification of the preparation method. The comparative surveys of their HER activities are made in terms of experimental metrics of overpotential at a certain current density and Tafel slope together with the preparation method. The remaining challenges and perspectives of the future development of nickel phosphide electrocatalysts for HER are also proposed.

Phase transformations in the nickel phosphide system induced by transition-metal doping and their electro-catalytic study

“…8 Cheaper and readily available alternatives like nickel phosphides have been investigated in place of noble metals. 2,9 Nickel phosphides have been reported to be excellent catalysts not only in energy conversion reactions like water splitting 2,9,10 but also suitable for energy storage applications such as supercapacitance. 11,12 Synthetic protocols to nickel phosphides include phosphatization of nickel with phosphines, 13 topochemical transformations of phosphorene nanosheets to nickel phosphide by nickel salts, 14 solvothermal decompositions, 2,15 microwave combustion 16 and solvent-less synthesis.…”

Recent Advances in Layered-Double-Hydroxides Based Noble Metal Nanoparticles Efficient Electrocatalysts

“…Unfortunately, the slow kinetics of HER and OER lead to lower energy efficiency [10,11]. Therefore, the input potential of cracked water in the actual electrolyzer is much higher than 1.23 V [12,13]. The large overpotential and slow kinetics of HER and OER hinder the practical application of whole-water decomposition [14,15].…”

Hydrogen adsorption trends on two metal-doped Ni2P surfaces for optimal catalyst design

“…Consequently, recent studies have looked at nonprecious compounds as more convenient replacements for platinum, with examples ranging from heteroatom-doped nano-carbons to transition metal chalcogenides, nitrides, carbides, selenides, phosphides, borides, and sulfides. [7][8][9][10][11][12] Particularly nickel phosphides have emerged as robust and efficient catalysts, 13,14 showing advantages in terms of synthesis routes, anticorrosion features, electronic properties, and catalytic activities -especially in the acidic medium. [15][16][17] Once an efficient catalytic material like Ni 2 P has been identified, it is possible to further enhance its electrocatalytic performance through either morphological control or heteroatom doping.…”