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Sulfur–nitrogen co-doped graphene supported cobalt–nickel sulfide rGO@SN-CoNi2S4 as highly efficient bifunctional catalysts for hydrogen/oxygen evolution reactions

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Abstract

Designing highly active and stable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a challenge for energy conversion and storage technology. In this work, a S and N co-doped graphene supported cobalt–nickel sulfide composite catalyst (rGO@SN-CoNi2S4) was synthesized simply via a one-step hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized CoNi2S4 particles grew in a mosaic manner inside GO lamellae and were encapsulated with graphene. As a bifunctional catalyst, the rGO@SN-CoNi2S4 exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance under alkaline conditions, which only required the overpotential of 142.6 mV (vs. RHE) and 310 mV (vs. RHE) to deliver a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 for HER and OER, respectively. The good hydrophilicity of the rGO@SN, the pure phase of bimetallic structure, and the chemical coupling/interaction between the CoNi2S4 and the rGO@SN are attributable to be the possible reasons responsible for the higher HER and OER catalytic activities. Additionally, the rGO@SN-CoNi2S4 also shows a great potential for serving as an excellent cathode and anode electrolyzer during the water splitting process.

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摘要

设计高活性、高稳定性的氢析出和氧析出双功能电催化剂是能量转换和储存技术的一大挑战。本文通过一步水热法合成了硫-氮共掺杂石墨烯负载硫化钴镍复合催化剂(rGO@SN-CoNi2S4) 。所合成的CoNi2S4颗粒在石墨烯片层内以镶嵌方式生长, 并被石墨烯包裹。作为一种双功能催化剂, rGO@SN-CoNi2S4在碱性条件下表现出良好的电催化性能, 在氢析出和氧析出催化过程中分别仅需142.6 mV (vs. RHE)和310 mV (vs. RHE)的过电位即可达到10 mA·cm−2的电流密度。良好的亲水性, 纯相的双金属结构, 石墨烯与金属硫化物间的化学耦合/相互作用是rGO@SN-CoNi2S4表现出较好氢析出和氧析出催化性能的原因。此外, rGO@SN-CoNi2S4 作为阳极和阴极催化材料运用于全电解水催化中表现出较好的性能。

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Nos. 2020A1515110473 and 2019A1515110528).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Hydrogen Energy, Foshan University, Foshan, 528000, China

    Bing-Lu Deng, Yuan Lu, Hai-Bo Rong & Dong-Chu Cheng

  2. Guangdong Key Laboratory for Hydrogen Energy Technologies, Foshan, 528000, China

    Bing-Lu Deng, Yuan Lu, Hai-Bo Rong & Dong-Chu Cheng

  3. School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Li-Ping Guo

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Deng, BL., Guo, LP., Lu, Y. et al. Sulfur–nitrogen co-doped graphene supported cobalt–nickel sulfide rGO@SN-CoNi2S4 as highly efficient bifunctional catalysts for hydrogen/oxygen evolution reactions. Rare Met. 41, 911–920 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-021-01828-8

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