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PdCo alloys@N-doped porous carbon supported on reduced graphene oxide as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction

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Abstract

Water splitting is considered as one of the recommendable techniques to realize clear and renewable hydrogen production. However, it suffers from lacking efficient and sustainable catalysts. Herein, a metal–organic framework/graphene oxide pyrolysis strategy was proposed to prepare nitrogen-doped porous carbon-stabilized alloys supported on reduced graphene oxide (PdCo@N–C/rGO) composite. When evaluated as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the as-obtained PdCo@N–C/rGO shows an excellent performance in acidic media including positive onset potential close to that of commercial Pt/C (vs. SCE), low overpotential and Tafel slope, as well as long-term durability. Also, it delivers outstanding HER activities in alkaline and neutral conditions. The excellent performance could be mainly ascribed to their synergetic effect among alloy particles, nitrogen-doped porous carbon shell, and conductive rGO substrate.

Graphical abstract

A metal-organic framework engineered strategy was proposed to prepare N-doped porous carbon-stabilized PdCo alloys supported on reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite. Specifically, the as-obtained catalyst delivers excellent electrochemical activity for hydrogen evolution reaction.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the open fund of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Nonferrous Metals (SKLAB02019006) and the Youth Scientific and Technical Plan Project of Gansu Province (20JR10RA198).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Nonferrous Metal, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, 730050, People’s Republic of China

    Ming Zhong, Lingling Li, Kun Zhao & Dahui Wang

  2. Laboratory of Eco-Functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Polymer Materials of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, People’s Republic of China

    Fangzhen He & Bitao Su

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  1. Ming Zhong
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Zhong, M., Li, L., Zhao, K. et al. PdCo alloys@N-doped porous carbon supported on reduced graphene oxide as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction. J Mater Sci 56, 14222–14233 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-021-06212-6

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