Cation‐Induced Deep Reconstruction and Self‐Optimization of NiFe Phosphide Precatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution and Overall Water Splitting

Abstract

AbstractSurface reconstruction that produces real active species for catalytic reactions generally occurs during electrocatalytic water splitting, but overcoming the reconstruction level‐mass activity‐stability trade‐off is a grand challenge. A cation‐doping in conjunction with a geometrical topology strategy is proposed to concurrently realize deep reconstruction and self‐optimization of FeNi phosphide nanoarrays during an electrochemical activation process. The doped Zn cation induces a deep reconstruction of FeNiP@Fe2P precatalyst by continuously dissolving Fe2P and re‐depositing as amorphous FeOOH that solders Ni2P nanoparticles, forming small ultra‐thin nanosheets with abundant amorphous‐crystalline interfaces for structural stability. Moreover, multichannel topology exhibits an unusual ability to optimize their morphology via finally evolving into multi‐microchannel tubular nanoarrays comprising of interconnected‐nanosheets with a very loose structure for enhanced electrolyte permeability, mass transfer, and accessibility of active sites. The reconstructed Zn‐Ni2P/FeOOH superstructure catalysts reach 10 mA cm−2 current density at an ultra‐low overpotential of 11 mV for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER). Impressively, when assembled as a two‐electrode cell with Zn‐FeNiP@Zn‐Fe2P as anode and Zn‐Ni2P/FeOOH as cathode, it delivers current densities of 10 mA cm−2 at a record low cell voltage of 1.40 V. This strategy provides a novel avenue to promote reconstruction for achieving high catalytic performance.