Title: Nitrogen-doped Nanoporous Carbon Membranes Functionalized with Co/CoP Janus-type nanocrystals as Hydrogen Evolution Electrode in Both Acid and Alkaline Environment,
Abstract: Self-supported electrocatalysts being generated and employed directly as
electrode for energy conversion has been intensively pursued in the fields of
materials chemistry and energy. Herein, we report a synthetic strategy to
prepare freestanding hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped nanoporous
graphitic carbon membranes functionalized with Janus-type Co/CoP nanocrystals
(termed as HNDCM-Co/CoP), which were successfully applied as a
highly-efficient, binder-free electrode in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
Benefited from multiple structural merits, such as high degree of
graphitization, three-dimensionally interconnected micro-/meso-/macropores,
uniform nitrogen-doping, well-dispersed Co/CoP nanocrystals as well as the
confinement effect of the thin carbon layer on the nanocrystals, HNDCM-Co/CoP
exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity and long-term operation stability
for HER under both acid and alkaline conditions. As a proof-of-concept of
practical usage, a macroscopic piece of HNDCM-Co/CoP of 5.6 cm x 4 cm x 60 um
in size was prepared in our laboratory. Driven by a solar cell,
electroreduction of water in alkaline condition (pH 14) was performed, and H2
has been produced at a rate of 16 ml/min, demonstrating its potential as
real-life energy conversion systems.