One-step electrodeposition synthesis of FeCoNiP nanoparticles/Vertical P-doped graphene on Cu substrate as high-activity electrocatalyst for overall water splitting in a wide pH range

Abstract

FeCoNiP nanoparticles integrated on vertical P-doped graphene is facilely fabricated on Cu foil (FeCoNiP/PVG/Cu) by one-step electrodeposition as electrocatalyst toward overall water splitting in a wide pH range. The FeCoNiP/PVG/Cu electrocatalyst exhibits low overpotentials (115 and 223 mV) at 10 mA [Formula: see text] cm[Formula: see text] and low Tafel slopes (70 and 76 mV [Formula: see text] dec[Formula: see text] toward hydrogen evolution reaction in 1.0 M KOH and 0.5 M H2SO4, respectively. At the same time, the FeCoNiP/PVG/Cu electrocatalyst exhibits a remarkable activity with overpotential of 361 mV at 50 mA [Formula: see text] cm[Formula: see text] and Tafel slope of 96 mV [Formula: see text] dec[Formula: see text] in 1.0 M KOH toward oxygen evolution reaction, which is even comparable with the noble IrO2 electrocatalyst (370 mV and 80 mV [Formula: see text] dec[Formula: see text]. FeCoNiP/PVG/Cu electrocatalyst also displays a remarkable electrochemical durability to toward HER in both alkaline and acid solutions for at least 15 h, toward OER in alkaline solution for at least 13 h. This work contributes to the research of designing non-noble earth-abundant electrocatalyst with high property in a wide pH range for overall water splitting, thus pushing the development of industrial utilization of water splitting.