Affiliation:
1. Nano Fusion Technology Research Group, Division of Molecules and Polymers, Institute for Fiber Engineering (IFES), Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research (ICCER) Shinshu University Tokida 3‐15‐1, Ueda Nagano 386‐8567 Japan
2. School of Chemical Engineering Yeungnam University Gyeongsan 38541 Korea
3. Graduate School of Medicine, Science, and Technology Shinshu University Tokida 3‐15‐1, Ueda Nagano 386‐8567 Japan
4. National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering Soochow University Suzhou 215123 China
Abstract
Surface area, pore properties, synergistic behavior, homogenous dispersion, and interactions between carbon matrix and metal‐nanostructures are the key factors for achieving the better performance of carbon‐metal based (electro)catalysts. However, the traditional hydro‐ or solvothermal preparation of (electro)catalysts, particularly, bi‐ or tri‐metallic nanostructures anchored graphene (G) or carbon nanotubes (CNTs), often pose to poor metal–support interaction, low synergism, and patchy dispersion. At first, bimetallic flower‐like‐CuFeS2/NG and cube‐like‐NiFeS2/NCNTs nanocomposites were prepared by solvothermal method. The resultant bimetallic nanocomposites were employed to derive the 2D‐nano‐sandwiched Fe2CuNiS4/NGCNTs‐SW (electro)catalyst by a very simple and green urea‐mediated “mix‐heat” method. The desired physicochemical properties of Fe2CuNiS4/NGCNTs‐SW such as multiple active sites, strong metal‐support interaction, homogenous dispersion and enhanced surface area were confirmed by various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first urea‐mediated “mix‐heat” method for preparing 2D‐nano‐sandwiched carbon‐metal‐based (electro)catalysts. The Fe2CuNiS4/NGCNTs‐SW was found to be highly effective for alkaline‐mediated oxygen evolution reaction at low onset potential of 284.24 mV, and the stable current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 m KOH for 10 h. Further, the Fe2CuNiS4/NGCNTs‐SW demonstrated excellent catalytic activity in the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol with good kapp value of 87.71 × 10−2 s−1 and excellent reusability over five cycles. Overall, the developed urea‐mediated “mix‐heat” method is highly efficient for the preparation of metal‐nanoarchitectures anchored 2D‐nano‐sandwiched (electro)catalysts with high synergism, uniform dispersion and excellent metal‐support interaction.