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Hydrogen generation from water splitting driven by electric/solar energy is highly desirable, which requires efficient and robust bifunctional electrocatalysts for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. 2D porous hybrids with attractive chemical and structural properties are the first-class candidates for water splitting, while control over efficient and modulable synthesis remains a huge challenge. This work demonstrates a zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) nanoplate self-template approach to fabricate 2D porous oxygen-incorporated cobalt phosphide (CoPO) ultrathin nanosheets. The synthesis starts with the oriented growth of ZIF-67 nanoplates along [211] crystal plane, followed by oxidation/phosphorization processes for pore generation and O/P coincorporation in the hybrid. The resultant 2D porous CoPO nanosheets afford very small voltages of 1.52 and 1.98 V for overall water splitting at 10 and 200 mA cm-2, respectively. This excellent bifunctionality further provides the basis for photovoltage-driven water splitting at a Faradaic efficiency of 97.6%. These findings offer a general strategy for rational design and modulation of 2D porous catalysts for various electrocatalytic and other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of palladium-based catalysts of metal alloying (Sn, Pb) and/or (N-doped) graphene support with regular enhanced electrocatalytic activity were investigated. The peak current density (118.05 mA cm-2) of PdSn/NG is higher than the sum current density (45.63 + 47.59 mA cm-2) of Pd/ NG and PdSn/G. It reveals a synergistic electrocatalytic oxidation effect in PdSn/N-doped graphene Nanocomposite. Extend experiments show this multisource synergetic catalytic effect of metal alloying and N-doped graphene support in one catalyst on small organic molecule (methanol, ethanol and Ethylene glycol) oxidation is universal in PdM(M = Sn, Pb)/NG catalysts. Further, The high dispersion of small nanoparticles, the altered electron structure and Pd(0)/Pd(II) ratio of Pd in catalysts induced by strong coupled the metal alloying and N-doped graphene are responsible for the multisource synergistic catalytic effect in PdM(M = Sn, Pb) /NG catalysts. Finally, the catalytic durability and stability are also greatly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]