Rational Design of Transition Metal Phosphide‐Based Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract

Developing efficient and inexpensive electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is critical to the commercial viability of electrochemical clean energy technologies. Transition metal phosphides (TMPs), with the merits of abundant reserves, unique structure, tunable composition, and high electronic conductivity, are recognized as attractive HER catalytic materials. Nevertheless, the HER electrocatalytic activity of TMPs is still limited by various thorough issues and inherent performance bottlenecks. In this review, these issues are carefully sorted, and the corresponding reasonable explanations and solutions are elucidated on the basis of the HER catalytic activity origins of TMPs. Subsequently, highly targeted multiscale strategies to improve the HER performance of TMPs are comprehensively presented. Additionally, critical scientific issues for constructing high‐efficiency TMP‐based electrocatalysts are proposed. Finally, the HER reaction process, catalytic mechanism research, TMP‐based catalyst construction, and their application expansion are mentioned as challenges and future directions for this research field. Expectedly, this review offers professional and targeted guidelines for the rational design and practical application of TMP‐based HER catalysts.

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals: from bottom-up nanoarchitectonics to energy harvesting applications

“…22–24 Metal phosphides NCs formed with less electronegative elements showed prospects in applications such as energy storage, 25,26 hydrogen evolution, 27–29 and catalysis. 30,31 Cobalt phosphides (Co 2 P or CoP) were used as highly active nonprecious metal co-catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light irradiation, 32 electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction, 33–35 and anodes for lithium ion batteries. 36 Metal chalcogenide NCs with XE composition, where X = Zn, Cd, Pb, Bi and E = S, Se, or Te have been widely used in various optoelectronic applications.…”

In Situ Construction of Cobalt-Doped High-Dispersive Heazlewoodite for Efficient Oxygen Evolution

“…The severe situation of the global energy crisis and environmental pollution has resulted in a significant impact to the sustainable development of society and the economy, which appeals to the development of renewable energy as a substitute. − Until now, a great deal of renewable energies has been developed, which plays a key role in societal life. Among them, hydrogen is a kind of clean energy resource, which reacts with oxygen to produce high energy and water, and moreover, it will not produce any pollution and greenhouse gases. , The common method for the production of hydrogen is coal gasification, which produces hydrogen and carbon monoxide.…”

Photogenerated Carrier-Assisted Electrocatalysts for Efficient Water Splitting

“…Transition-metal-based materials, with their advantages of rich reserves, good electronic conductivity, multiple redox valences, and unsaturated transition metal sites, have been widely investigated for overall water splitting and have achieved remarkable results [11]. However, transition metal electrocatalysts are still limited by inherent performance bottlenecks; the improvement in the activity and durability of pristine electrocatalytic materials is still the emphasis of current research [12,13].…”