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[Display omitted] Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process is the "bottleneck" of water splitting, and the low-cost and high-efficient OER catalysts are of great importance and attractive but they are still challenging. Herein, a dual modification strategy is developed to tune and enrich the structure of cobalt silicate (Co 2 SiO 4) showing boosted OER properties. Cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4) decorated Co 2 SiO 4 nanobelts, denoted as CS, is firstly prepared using a Co-based precursor by a facile hydrothermal reaction. Then, cobalt phosphide (CoP) nanoparticles are in-situ grown on CS (denoted as CS-P) by the phosphorization process, which provide many active sites and boost the surface reactivity. The experimental results and density function theory (DFT) calculations both reveal that the CoP on CS can improve the conductivity and ensure fast kinetics, thus leading to boost the OER properties of Co 2 SiO 4. When the phosphorization temperature is at 400 °C (CS-P400), it gains the lowest overpotential of 297 mV, which is much lower than CS (340 mV) and Co 2 SiO 4 (409 mV) at 10 mA·cm−2, and even superior to the state-of-the-art transition metal silicates. CS-P400 also achieves high electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) and small Tafel slope owing to its porous structures with large specific surface area and nanosheet-like structures which are good for exposing many active sites and favorable to the fast kinetics. This work not only provides a dual modification route to boost catalytic activity of Co 2 SiO 4 (CS-P400), but also sheds light on a new avenue for developing highly dispersed CoP on silicates to boost OER performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing effective and long-lasting electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for increasing sustainable hydrogen production. This paper describes the production and characterization of CoFeP nanoparticles (CFP NPs) as high-performance electrocatalysts for OER. The CFP NPs were produced using a simple hydrothermal technique followed by phosphorization, yielding an amorphous/crystalline composite structure with improved electrochemical characteristics. Our results reveal that CFP NPs have a surprisingly low overpotential of 284 mV at a current density of 100 mA cm−2, greatly exceeding the precursor CoFe oxide/hydroxide (CFO NPs) and the commercial RuO2 catalyst. Furthermore, CFP NPs demonstrate exceptional stability, retaining a constant performance after 70 h of continuous operation. Post-OER characterization analysis revealed transformations in the catalyst, including the formation of cobalt–iron oxides/oxyhydroxides. Despite these changes, CFP NPs showed superior long-term stability compared to native metal oxides/oxyhydroxides, likely due to enhanced surface roughness and increased active sites. This study proposes a viable strategy for designing low-cost, non-precious metal-based OER catalysts, which will help advance sustainable energy technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) require considerable Pd in the cathode, hindering the widespread of alkaline fuel cells (AFCs). By alloying Pd with transition metals, the oxygen reduction reaction's catalytic properties can be substantially enhanced. Nevertheless, the utilization of Pd-transition metal alloys in fuel cells is significantly constrained by their inadequate long-term durability due to the propensity of transition metals to leach. In this study, a nonmetallic doping strategy was devised and implemented to produce a Pd catalyst doped with P that exhibited exceptional durability towards ORRs. Pd3P0.95 with an average size of 6.41 nm was synthesized by the heat-treatment phosphorization of Pd nanoparticles followed by acid etching. After P-doping, the size of the Pd nanoparticles increased from 5.37 nm to 6.41 nm, and the initial mass activity (MA) of Pd3P0.95/NC reached 0.175 A mgPd−1 at 0.9 V, slightly lower than that of Pd/C. However, after 40,000 cycles of accelerated durability testing, instead of decreasing, the MA of Pd3P0.95/NC increased by 6.3% while the MA loss of Pd/C was 38.3%. The durability was primarily ascribed to the electronic structure effect and the aggregation resistance of the Pd nanoparticles. This research also establishes a foundation for the development of Pd-based ORR catalysts and offers a direction for the future advancement of catalysts designed for practical applications in AFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Non-precious metals have shown attractive catalytic prospects in hydrogen production from ammonia borane hydrolysis. However, the sluggish reaction kinetics in the hydrolysis process remains a challenge. Herein, P-bridged Fe-X-Co coupled sites in hollow carbon spheres (Fe-CoP@C) has been synthesized through in situ template solvothermal and subsequent surface-phosphorization. Benefiting from the optimized electronic structure induced by Fe doping to enhance the specific activity of Co sites, bimetallic synergy and hollow structure, the as-prepared Fe-CoP@C exhibits superior performances with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 183.5 min−1, and stability of over 5 cycles for ammonia borane hydrolysis, comparable to noble metal catalysts. Theoretical calculations reveal that the P-bridged Fe-X-Co coupled sites on the Fe-CoP@C catalyst surfaces is beneficial to adsorb reactant molecules and reduce their reaction barrier. This strategy of constructing hollow P-bridged bimetallic coupled sites may open new avenues for non-precious metal catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt diphosphides (CoP2) show a high theoretical capacity and hold great promise as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the large variation in the volume and structure of CoP2 caused during lithium-ion insertion and extraction results in electrode fragmentation and a compromised solid electrolyte interface, ultimately leading to poor cycling performance. Herein, a composite of CoP2 nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon matrix has been successfully synthesized by carbonization of Co-MOF-based zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-67) and sequential phosphorization and further wrapped in graphene oxide (CoP2@C@GO). The formation of CoP2 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The morphology of CoP2@C with and without GO wrapping was examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that the decoration of GO significantly reduces the polarization of CoP2@C electrodes, enhancing their charge capacity and cycling stability as an anode material for LIBs. After 200 cycles, they deliver a capacity of 450 mAh·g−1.

[Display omitted] The electronic properties and structural characteristics of transition metal materials have a significant impact on their electrocatalytic performance. Therefore, precisely controlling the electronic states of core metals and fabricating catalysts with advanced structures are conducive to facilitating electrolysis process. Herein, we manipulate the electronic properties of the electroactive sites of catalysts by controlling the degree of phosphorization during the phosphorization process. The Co x P-FeP@C electrocatalysts, characterized by their sea-urchin morphology, were synthesized by subjecting CoFc-metal organic framework (MOF) precursors to phosphorization for specific time intervals. The optimized Co 2 P-FeP@C-5 electrocatalyst showed the optimum performance towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic efficiency with 239 mV overpotential and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with 169 mV overpotential to reach 10 mA·cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH (PH = 13.8). For comparison, the extended duration of phosphorization resulted in the formation of CoP-FeP@C-15 and CoP-FeP@C-30 electrocatalysts, which exhibited compromised electrocatalytic performance due to the transformation of the electroactive core Co 2 P to CoP during subsequent phosphorization processes. The improved interfacial properties between Co 2 P and FeP play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of water decomposition, attributed to the higher density of states (DOS) at the Fermi Level and the increased availability of electroactive sites for the adsorption of intermediates and electrolysis. These findings are substantiated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This approach offers a highly effective means of manipulating the electronic properties of the electroactive transition metal core by controlling the degree of phosphorization, with the ultimate goal of achieving efficient water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the successful synthesis of bimetallic nickel/cobalt phosphide nanosheets (Ni-Co-P NSs) via the hydrothermal method and the subsequent high-temperature phosphorization process were both confirmed. Ni-Co-P NSs exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the electrochemical non-enzymatic DA sensing. The surface morphologies and physicochemical properties of Ni-Co-P NSs were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field-emission scanning (FESEM), field-emission transmission electron microscopy (FETEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Further, the electrochemical performance was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The metallic nature of phosphide and the synergistic effect of Ni/Co atoms in Ni-Co-P NSs provided abundant catalytic active sites for the electrochemical redox reaction of DA, which exhibited a remarkable consequence with a wide linear range from 0.3~50 μM, a high sensitivity of 2.033 µA µM−1 cm−2, a low limit of detection of 0.016 µM, and anti-interference ability. As a result, the proposed Ni-Co-P NSs can be considered an ideal electrode material for the electrochemical non-enzymatic DA sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt diphosphides (CoP2) show a high theoretical capacity and hold great promise as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the large variation in the volume and structure of CoP2 caused during lithium-ion insertion and extraction results in electrode fragmentation and a compromised solid electrolyte interface, ultimately leading to poor cycling performance. Herein, a composite of CoP2 nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon matrix has been successfully synthesized by carbonization of Co-MOF-based zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-67) and sequential phosphorization and further wrapped in graphene oxide (CoP2@C@GO). The formation of CoP2 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The morphology of CoP2@C with and without GO wrapping was examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron spectroscopy. It was demonstrated that the decoration of GO significantly reduces the polarization of CoP2@C electrodes, enhancing their charge capacity and cycling stability as an anode material for LIBs. After 200 cycles, they deliver a capacity of 450 mAh·g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen doping strategy is one of the most effective methods to improve the electrochemical properties of nickel–cobalt phosphide (NiCoP)-based capacitors by adjusting its inherent electronic structure. In this paper, O-doped NiCoP microspheres derived from porous nanostructured nickel metal–organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs) were constructed through solvothermal method followed by phosphorization treatment. The O-doping concentration has a siginificant influence on the rate performance and cycle stability. The optimized O-doped NiCoP electrode material shows a specific capacitance of 632.4 F-g−1 at 1 A-g−1 and a high retention rate of 56.9% at 20 A g−1. The corresponding NiCoP-based asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a high energy density of 30.1 Wh kg−1 when the power density is 800.9 W kg−1, and can still maintain 82.1% of the initial capacity after 10 000 cycles at 5 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid water electrolysis, consisting of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR), is an attractive route for energy-efficient hydrogen production, and the efficiency depends on the construction of highly active bifunctional catalysts. Here, one-dimensional heterointerfacial Au–Rh2P mesoporous nanotubes (Au–Rh2P MNTs) are synthesized using poly-(ethylene oxide)-b-poly-(methyl methacrylate) and Ni nanowires as the dual template and NaH2PO2 as the phosphorus dopant. Thanks to highly active sites and a strong electronic effect, Au–Rh2P MNTs exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance for alkaline HzOR and HER, requiring only 16 and 26 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2, respectively. For hydrazine oxidation-assisted water electrolysis, Au–Rh2P MNTs require a low potential of 59 mV to produce hydrogen at 10 mA cm–2, highlighting low-energy hydrogen production by the replacement of oxygen evolution reaction by HzOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) has gained significant attention due to its crucial role in renewable energy systems. The quest for efficient and low-cost OER catalysts remains a challenge of significant interest and importance. In this work, phosphate-incorporated cobalt silicate hydroxide (denoted as CoSi-P) is reported as a potential electrocatalyst for OER. The researchers first synthesized hollow spheres of cobalt silicate hydroxide Co 3 (Si 2 O 5) 2 (OH) 2 (denoted as CoSi) using SiO 2 spheres as a template through a facile hydrothermal method. Phosphate (PO 4 3−) was then introduced to layered CoSi, leading to the reconstruction of the hollow spheres into sheet-like architectures. As expected, the resulting CoSi-P electrocatalyst demonstrated low overpotential (309 mV at 10 mA·cm−2), large electrochemical active surface area (ECSA), and low Tafel slope. These parameters outperform CoSi hollow spheres and cobaltous phosphate (denoted as CoPO). Moreover, the catalytic performance achieved at 10 mA cm−2 is comparable or even better than that of most transition metal silicates/oxides/hydroxides. The findings indicate that the incorporation of phosphate into the structure of CoSi can enhance its OER performance. This study not only provides a non-noble metal catalyst CoSi-P but also demonstrates that the incorporation of phosphates into transition metal silicates (TMSs) offers a promising strategy for the design of robust, high-efficiency, and low-cost OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal phosphides have been extensively studied for catalytic applications in water splitting. Herein, we report an in situ phosphorization of zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZIF-67) to generate amorphous cobalt phosphide/ZIF-67 heterojunction on a self-supporting copper foam (CF) substrate with excellent performance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The needle-leaf like copper hydroxide was anchored on CF surface, which acted as implantation to grow ZIF-67. The intermediate product was phosphorized to obtain final electro-catalyst (CoP/Cu2O@CF) with uniform particle size, exhibiting a rhombic dodecahedron structure with wrinkles on the surface. The electrochemical measurement proved that CoP/Cu2O@CF catalyst exhibited excellent HER activity and long-term stability in 1.0 mol·L−1 KOH solution. The overpotential was only 62 mV with the Tafel slope of 83 mV·dec−1 at a current density of 10 mA·cm−2, with a large electrochemical active surface area. It also showed competitive performance at large current which indicated the potential application to industrial water electrolysis to produce hydrogen. First-principle calculations illustrated that benefit from the construction of CoP/ZIF-67 heterojunction, the d-band center of CoP downshifted after bonding with ZIF-67 and the Gibbs free energy (ΔGH*) changed from −0.18 to −0.11 eV, confirming both decrease in overpotential and excellent HER activity. This work illustrates the efficient HER activity of CoP/Cu2O@CF catalyst, which will act as a potential candidate for precious metal electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) are subject to interface incompatibilities due to the space charge layer of ceramic and polymer phases. The intensive dehydrofluorination of poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF‐HFP) incorporating Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) significantly compromises electro‐chemo‐mechanical properties and compatibilities with electrodes. Herein, this study addresses the challenges by precisely phosphatizing LLZO surfaces through a surface Li2CO3 mediated chemical reaction. The designed neutral chemical environment of LLZO surfaces ensures high air stability and effective suppression of PVDF‐HFP dehydrofluorination. This greatly facilitates the uniform distribution of ceramic and polymer phases, and fast interfacial Li+ exchange, establishing high‐throughput ion percolation pathways and distinctly enhancing ionic conductivity and transference number. Moreover, the dramatically reduced formation of dehydrofluorination products and an in situ formed interphase layer between phosphatized surface and a Li metal anode stabilize the Li/CPE and cathode/CPE interfaces, which provide a symmetric Li/Li cell and solid‐state Li/LiFePO4 and Li/LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cells an exceptional cycling performance at room temperature. This study emphasizes the vital importance of achieving electro‐chemo‐mechanical compatibilities for CPEs and provides a new waste to wealth route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Electronic regulation via interface engineering is recognized as an attractive strategy for boosting electrocatalytic activity. In this work, a self-supported heterostructure electrocatalyst is explored by a feasible hydrothermal-pyrolysis strategy, in which Ni 2 P nanoparticles are anchored on NiMoP 2 nanosheet arrays grown on carbon cloth (Ni 2 P/NiMoP 2 /CC). Benefitting from the nanosheet array architecture and the synergy effect between the Ni 2 P and NiMoP 2 , the as-prepared Ni 2 P/NiMoP 2 /CC manifests highly efficient activity and stability toward both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Density functional theory calculations further indicates that the heterointerface in Ni 2 P/NiMoP 2 /CC enable optimized interface electron structure and reduce the activation barriers for intermediates, improving the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity. Remarkably, the Ni 2 P/NiMoP 2 /CC||Ni 2 P/NiMoP 2 /CC electrolyzer affords 10 mA cm−2 at a low voltage of 1.59 V, outperforming its monometallic phosphides counterparts and most of transition metal-based bifunctional electrocatalysts. The electrolyser was powered by a solar cell to produce H 2 and O 2 simultaneously, indicating its potential application in solar-to-hydrogen conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the successful synthesis of bimetallic nickel/cobalt phosphide nanosheets (Ni-Co-P NSs) via the hydrothermal method and the subsequent high-temperature phosphorization process were both confirmed. Ni-Co-P NSs exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the electrochemical non-enzymatic DA sensing. The surface morphologies and physicochemical properties of Ni-Co-P NSs were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field-emission scanning (FESEM), field-emission transmission electron microscopy (FETEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Further, the electrochemical performance was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The metallic nature of phosphide and the synergistic effect of Ni/Co atoms in Ni-Co-P NSs provided abundant catalytic active sites for the electrochemical redox reaction of DA, which exhibited a remarkable consequence with a wide linear range from 0.3~50 μM, a high sensitivity of 2.033 µA µM−1 cm−2, a low limit of detection of 0.016 µM, and anti-interference ability. As a result, the proposed Ni-Co-P NSs can be considered an ideal electrode material for the electrochemical non-enzymatic DA sensing.

NiCoP nanosheets (NSs) were successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal and high-temperature phosphorization process. The obtained NiCoP NSs were immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and used to construct a novel sensing platform for electrochemical non-enzymatic H2O2 sensing. Physicochemical characteristics of NiCoP NSs were obtained by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), field-emission transmission electron microscope (FETEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, the electrochemical properties of NiCoP NSs were obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) towards the non-enzymatic detection of H2O2. FESEM and FETEM images provided a morphological insight (the unique nanosheets morphology of NiCoP) that could expose more active sites to promote mass/charge transport at the electrode/electrolyte interface. XRD and XPS results also confirmed the crystalline nature of the NiCoP nanosheets and the coexistence of multiple transitional metal oxidation states in NiCoP nanosheets. These unique physicochemical characteristics had a degree of contribution to ensuring enhancement in the electrochemical behavior. As a result, the synthesized NiCoP NSs composed of intercalated nanosheets, as well as the synergistic interaction between bimetallic Ni/Co and P atoms exhibited excellent electrocatalytical activity towards H2O2 electroreduction at neutral medium. As the results showed, the electrochemical sensing based on NiCoP NSs displayed a linear range of 0.05~4 mM, a sensitivity of 225.7 μA mM−1 cm−2, a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.190 μM, and good selectivity. It was concluded that NiCoP NSs-based electrochemical sensing might open new opportunities for future construction of H2O2 sensing platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platinum‐based catalysts play an outstanding role in alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) but with sluggish reaction kinetics. Herein, stimulated pH‐dependence phosphorus‐embedded PtNi nano‐alloy clusters (P@PtNi/C) with good alkaline HER catalytic activity are obtained. The overpotential of P@PtNi/C at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 is 26 mV in 1M KOH solution. At the overpotential of 70 mV, the mass activity of P@PtNi/C is 4.62 A mgPt−1, which is 21 times that of commercial 20 wt% Pt/C in terms of the unit mass of Pt. Due to the doping of P elements, the electronic interface is optimized, which enhances the OH− sensitivity and enables more OHad* to be involved in the overall alkaline cathode reaction. Density functional theory calculations suggest that PtNi3P/C can promote the further reduction of OHad* to generate Oad*, which plays an important role in the decomposition of H2O* to form OHad*. A closed‐looping H2O reduction process that exhibits the pH‐dependent characteristics of alkaline HER is proposed. OH− is appropriately integrated into the alkaline HER catalytic process based on P@PtNi/C catalyst, which provides a feasible consideration for the design of alkaline HER catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Designing non-precious electrocatalysts with multiple active centers and durability toward overall water splitting is of great significance for storing renewable energy. This study reports a low-cost Mo, Fe codoped NiCoP x electrocatalysts derived from Co-Fe Prussian blue analogue and following phosphorization process. Benefitted from the optimized electronic configuration, hierarchical structure and abundant active sites, the Mo,Fe-NiCoP x /NF electrode has shown competitive oxygen evolution reaction (ƞ 10 = 197 mV) and hydrogen evolution reaction performance (ƞ 10 = 99 mV) when the current density is 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH solution. Moreover, the integrated water splitting device assembled by Mo,Fe-NiCoP x /NF as both anode and cathode only needs a voltage of 1.545 V to reach 10 mA cm−2. Density functional theory results further confirm that the Mo, Fe codoped heterostructure can synergistically optimize the d-band center and Gibbs free energy during electrocatalytic processes, thus accelerating the kinetics of electrochemical water splitting. This work demonstrates the importance of rational combination of metal doping and interface engineering for advanced catalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hierarchical carbon-encapsulated yolk-shell nickelic composites were fabricated by a general MOF-derived route via Ostwald ripening and anion exchange strategy. Benefitting from the unique yolk-shell carbon framework, synergistic effect and satisfied phys-chemical characters, the nickel phosphide displays superior sodium storage properties compared with sulfide and selenide counterparts. [Display omitted] Transition-metal compounds have attracted enormous attention as potential energy storage materials for their high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, the most present transition-metal compounds still suffer from severe capacity decay and limited rate capability due to the lack of robust architectures. Herein, a general metal–organic framework-derived route is reported to fabricate hierarchical carbon-encapsulated yolk-shell nickelic spheres as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries. The nickelic metal–organic framework (Ni-MOF) precursors can be in situ converted into hierarchical carbon-encapsulated Ni 2 P (Ni 2 P/C), NiS 2 (NiS 2 /C) and NiSe 2 (NiSe 2 /C) by phosphorization, sulfuration, and selenation reaction, respectively, and maintain their yolk-shell sphere-like morphology. The as-synthesized Ni 2 P/C sample can deliver much lower polarization and discharge platform, smaller voltage gap, and faster kinetics in comparison with that of the other two counterparts, and thus achieve higher initial specific capacity (3222.1/1979.3 mAh g−1) and reversible capacity of 765.4 mAh g−1 after 110 cycles. This work should provide new insights into the phase and structure engineering of carbon-encapsulated transition-metal compound electrodes via MOFs template for advanced battery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring earth‐abundant electrocatalysts with excellent activity, robust stability, and multiple functions is crucial for electrolytic hydrogen generation. Porous phosphorized CoNi2S4 yolk‐shell spheres (P‐CoNi2S4 YSSs) were rationally designed and synthesized by a combined hydrothermal sulfidation and gas‐phase phosphorization strategy. Benefiting from the strengthened Ni3+/Ni2+ couple, enhanced electronic conductivity, and hollow structure, the P‐CoNi2S4 YSSs exhibit excellent activity and durability towards hydrogen/oxygen evolution and urea oxidation reactions in alkaline solution, affording low potentials of −0.135 V, 1.512 V, and 1.306 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode) at 10 mA cm−2, respectively. Remarkably, when used as the anode and cathode simultaneously, the P‐CoNi2S4 catalyst merely requires a cell voltage of 1.544 V in water splitting and 1.402 V in urea electrolysis to attain 10 mA cm−2 with excellent durability for 100 h, outperforming most of the reported nickel‐based sulfides and even noble‐metal‐based electrocatalysts. This work promotes the application of sulfides in electrochemical hydrogen production and provides a feasible approach for urea‐rich wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using low cost and high efficiency non-precious bimetallic phosphosulphide as electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is not only convenient but also environment-friendly for industrial production. Therefore, we propose a simple and efficient method to prepare a series of Cu-doped bimetallic phosphosulphide nanosheet arrays on nickel foam (CuNiS@Ni 2 P/NF). The CuNiS@Ni 2 P/NF exhibits the superior HER performance with appropriate doping amount of Cu. It just needs a potential of 144 mV to obtain the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH, which is smaller than that of CuNiS@Ni 2 P/NF-0.25 (206 mV) and CuNiS@Ni 2 P/NF-0.125 (219 mV). The excellent HER performance of CuNiS@Ni 2 P/NF nanosheet arrays can be ascribed to: (i) the moderate Cu-doped effectively optimized the electronic structure and morphology of the electrocatalyst; (ii) typical nanosheet arrays structures exposing more active sites; (iii) the high immanent activity excited by the multi-component synergy. • Cu-doped bimetallic phosphosulphide nanosheet arrays on Ni foam has been prepared. • The moderate amount of Cu doping could optimize the electronic structure of the product. • The typical structure and multi-component synergy contribute to the enhanced performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorization of molybdates has been shown to promote hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity but is usually detrimental to oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, frustrating efforts to create bifunctional HER/OER electrocatalysts. Herein, we show that Fe 2 O 3 -modulated P-doped CoMoO 4 on nickel foam (Fe-P-CMO) is an excellent bifunctional HER/OER electrocatalyst in alkaline media, with the adverse effect of phosphorization on the OER activity of CoMoO 4 being countered via Fe 2 O 3 introduction. An alkaline splitting electrolyser assembled directly using the self-supporting Fe-P-CMO electrode possessed outstanding long-term durability with ultralow cell voltages of 1.48 and 1.59 V required to achieve current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. Detailed experimental investigations showed that during HER, P-doped CoMoO 4 in Fe-P-CMO underwent surface reconstruction with the in-situ formation of Co(OH) 2 on the P-CoMoO 4 (Co(OH) 2 /P-CoMoO 4). During OER, P-doped CoMoO 4 was deeply reconstructed to CoOOH with the complete dissolution of Mo, leading to the in-situ formation of Fe 2 O 3 /CoOOH heterojunctions. [Display omitted] • A heterostructured Fe 2 O 3 /P-CoMoO 4 catalyst on Ni foam (Fe-P-CMO) was prepared. • Fe-P-CMO is a state-of-the-art bifunctional catalyst for overall water splitting. • Only 1.59 V is needed for Fe-P-CMO to drive 100 mA cm−2 for overall water splitting. • The reconstruction processes of Fe-P-CMO during HER and OER were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phosphating CoS 2 gets crystalline-amorphous heterostructures with CoS 2 /Co(PO 3) 2. • Crystalline CoS 2 core and grain boundary defect increase the electrical conductivity of P-CoS 2 /CNT. • Amorphous Co(PO 3) 2 shell with Co-O-P bonds provides robust conversion kinetics. • P-CoS 2 /CNT achieves an area capacity of 1.75 mAh cm−2 even after 200 cycles at 1C. Crystalline-amorphous heterostructure catalyst is employed to conquer the notorious shuttle effect and sluggish redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) intermediates of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, crystalline-amorphous heterostructure on the phosphatized cobalt disulfide/carbon nanotube (designated as P-CoS 2 /CNT) are served as the functional interlayer for Li-S batteries. Crystalline-amorphous heterostructure of P-CoS 2 /CNT is composed of high crystalline CoS 2 core and amorphous Co(PO 3) 2 (a-Co(PO 3) 2) shell along with abundant active Co-O-P bonds. The crystalline CoS 2 core and grain boundary defects on the heterostructure can prop up the well-pleasing electron conductivity when a-Co(PO 3) 2 accelerates the catalytic conversion kinetics of the polysulfides through the comprehensive survey in terms of chemical anchoring capability, nucleation barrier for Li 2 S, In-situ Raman for monitoring the shuttle case of polysulfides, and the analysis of inactive sulfur species on Li anode. In consequence, the Li-S battery using the P-CoS 2 /CNT functional separator delivers an outstanding low-capacity decay of only 0.048 % per cycle for 1000 cycles at 2C, and the LiPSs's shuttle effect is efficaciously restrained. Even with a high sulfur loading of 3.6 mg cm−2, the cell still maintains an outstanding areal capacity of 1.75 mAh cm−2 after 200 cycles at 1C. This work develops a scalable crystalline-amorphous heterostructure strategy using the conventional heteroatom modulation in aspire of accurately guiding the high-efficiency electrocatalyst served for the Li-S electrochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient and durable electrocatalysts are highly desirable for overall water splitting. Herein, a facile strategy is demonstrated to rationally construct CoFe Prussian blue analogues (PBA)@CoP cube‐on‐sheet hierarchical structure by etching reaction with intermediated CoO to form PBA nanocubes. Benefitting from the heterostructured engineering, the as‐synthesized CoFe PBA@CoP presents remarkable electrocatalytic performance in 1.0 m KOH, only requiring overpotentials of 100 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 171 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to reach the 10 mA cm−2 current density with good stability. Extraordinarily enhanced electrocatalytic performance is ascribed to not only the rapid charge transfer of active species, but also the synergistic effect between each component to achieve tuned electronic structure and abundant electrocatalytic active sites. Especially, the assembled two‐electrode cell using CoFe PBA@CoP as both cathode and anode delivers the current densities of 10 mA cm−2 at a relatively low cell voltage of 1.542 V, outperforming most of low‐cost bifunctional electrocatalysts reported to date. The controllable and versatile strategy will open up an avenue to prepare hybrid films for advanced electrochemical energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast capacity/voltage fading with a low rate capability has challenged the commercialization of layer‐structured Ni‐rich cathodes in lithium‐ion batteries. In this study, an ultrathin and stable interface of LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NCM) is designed via a passivation strategy, dramatically enhancing the capacity retention and operating voltage stability of cathode at a high cut‐off voltage of 4.5 V. The rebuilt interface as a stable path for Li+ transport, would strengthen the cathode–electrolyte interface stability, and restrain the detrimental factors for cathode–electrolyte interfacial reactions, intergranular cracking and irreversible phase transformation from layered to spinel, even salt‐rock phase. The as‐optimized NCM displays a higher cyclability (i.e., 206.6 mA h g−1 at 0.25 C (50 mA g−1) with 92.0% capacity retention over 100 cycles) and a better rate capability (141.0 and 112.6 mA h g−1 at 12.5 and 25 C, respectively) than pristine NCM (205.0 mA h g−1 with 73.0% capacity retention at 0.25 C; 120.9 and 93.1 mA h g−1 at 12.5 and 25 C, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have attracted considerable attention as an advanced electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Nevertheless, the catalytic efficiency of single-component TMPs is still restricted that cannot endure long-term running and easy to be corroded especially under harsh conditions. In this work, a multicomponent electrocatalyst combined with CoP/Ni 2 P heteronanoparticles and Co/Ni single-atom active sites (denoted as N–C@CoP/Ni 2 P) is rational designed and prepared. The obtained N–C@CoP/Ni 2 P electrode material exhibits enhanced performance with the overpotential of 153 mV at 10 mA cm−2, and the small Tafel value of 53.01 mV dec−1 in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 , and a satisfied result is obtained in basic media as well. The outstanding HER performance is mainly benefiting from the synergistic effect between CoP and Ni 2 P, and the highly catalytic faction of atomic Co/Ni dual sites. Furthermore, a powerful conductive network fabricated by N-doped carbon skeleton and in-situ grown CNTs improves the conductivity of catalyst. Such a stereoscopic 3D nanostructure is also facile to accelerate the shuttle of electrons and ions. • A multicomponent electrocatalyst is rational designed and prepared. • The synergistic and catalytic effect brings it remarkable HER activity. • The hybrid catalyst endows with outstanding long-term durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MoP particles were uniformly dispersed on the MoO 3 nanowires by the phosphorization method. • Various percentage of MoP particles loading was regulated by different phosphorous precursor. • Enhanced selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde performance was achieved. • Enhanced selective photocatalytic performance can be owing to synergistic effect. The selective oxidation of small molecules to high-value-added products is regarded as a promising approach to alleviating the worldwide energy crisis. In this work, heterogenous non-noble-metal molybdenum(III) phosphide (MoP) catalysts were anchored onto MoO 3−x nanowires (MoP@MoO 3−x) via a facile phosphorization method using various amounts of phosphorus precursor. Because of the combined attributes of the MoP and the MoO 3−x nanowires, the novel MoP@MoO 3−x nanowire catalysts not only provide more active sites but also enhance electron–hole separation efficiency. The results show that the selective transformation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde was achieved with 67% selectivity. A comprehensive study including field-emission transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum, electron-spin resonance, photocurrent measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) computations was conducted. The selective photocatalytic oxidation results and the DFT calculations indicate that the MoP particles anchored onto the MoO 3−x substrate display an important role in enhancing the selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing cost-effectiveness and superior electrocatalysts is crucial to improve the efficiency of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water splitting system. Hence, flower-like phosphorus doped Ni 3 S 2 /CoFe 2 O 4 arrays (P-Ni 3 S 2 /CoFe 2 O 4 /NF) were generated on three-dimensional (3D) nickel foam (NF) via the two-step hydrothermal treatment and subsequent phosphorization. Additionally, a series of control experiments were conducted to investigate the formation mechanism. By virtue of the unique 3D configurations and multi-compositions, the as-prepared catalyst exhibited greatly improved OER performance in 1.0 M KOH solution, with the overpotential of only 254 mV at 50 mA cm−2 and low Tafel slope of 54.43 mV dec−1. This study provides a feasible approach for preparing advanced electrocatalyst in energy conversion and storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for water splitting is indispensable for the efficient production of hydrogen fuel. Herein, a Co-doped Ni-Mo phosphide nanorod arrays fabricated on porous Ni foam was shown to be an efficient binder-free electrocatalyst for water splitting. This catalyst featured exceptional activity, exhibiting an overpotential of 29 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction, whereas the corresponding precatalyst exhibited an overpotential of 314 mV at a current density of 50 mA·cm−2 for the oxygen evolution reaction. The achieved electrocatalytic performance provided access to a simple water splitting system, affording a current density of 10 mA·cm−2 at 1.47 V in 1 M KOH electrolyte. Density functional theory results indicated that Co doping and phosphorization were responsible for the high electrocatalytic performance. Thus, this work paves the way for the development of novel noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for practical H2 production via water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve energy‐related environmental problems and the energy crisis, efficient electrochemical materials have been developed as alternative energy storage and conversion systems. Abundant transition metals and their sulfides are attractive electrochemical materials. Herein, we report an efficient phosphorization strategy, which improves the overall electrochemical performance of metal sulfides. In detail, CoS hexagonal bipyramids were synthesized through simple calcination combined with in situ sulfurization of a cobalt‐based metal–organic framework template, and then phosphate ion‐functionalized CoS (P‐CoS) was prepared through a phosphorization reaction. P‐CoS exhibited outstanding electrochemical activity as both supercapacitor electrode and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst. Supercapacitors based on CoS and P‐CoS as the electrodes had high specific capacitances of 304 and 442 F g−1, respectively, and remained stable for over 10 000 cycles at 5 A g−1. For OER, P‐CoS showed a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 340 mV, with a small Tafel slope. In conclusion, functionalizing CoS with phosphate ions is a promising method for enhancing chemical reactivity and accelerating ion and electron transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-precious transition metal phosphides (TMPs) as robust and effective hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts have attracted enormous attention, due to the merits of earth-abundance, low price, desirable stability and high efficiency. However, the conventional preparation process of this kind of catalyst is inconvenient. Herein, we report a facile approach toward the fabrication of nickel phosphide (Ni 2 P) assembled on carbon cloth (CC) via the coupling method of electroless plating and low temperature phosphorization. Then, the crystallinity, morphology and chemical component of fabricated self-supporting Ni 2 P/CC catalyst employed for the HER process were characterized, and the HER property was successively evaluated in three types of electrolytes (i.e., acidic, neutral and alkaline solutions). The as-prepared Ni 2 P/CC catalyst displays a remarkable HER performance, which can be corroborated by the small Tafel slope (b = 50 mV dec−1), high exchange current density (j 0 = 6.6 × 10−2 mA cm−2), acceptable overpotential (119 mV) to attain the current density of 10 mA cm−2, as well as the superb stability (<5% decay after 24 h potentiostatic test) in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4. In addition, it should be noted that the HER process of Ni 2 P/CC catalyst can be competent for the reduction of nitrate from the solution, and an efficiency of 63.2% for this nutrient pollutant is achieved. Image 1 • Ni–P coating deposited on CC can be sufficiently phosphorized to Ni 2 P. • Ni 2 P/CC composite can be easily fabricated via a facile approach. • Ni 2 P/CC composite exhibits an excellent HER property. • The HER process is helpful to remove nitrate from the solution. • Ni 2 P/CC sample is competent for the recommended candidate of HER catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of Fe3O4‐based anodes, enormous academic progress has been achieved over the past two decades; however, even with excellent half‐cell performance, the relatively high lithiation potential and unsatisfactory initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) represent two major barriers to their commercial application, at present. We propose partially phosphorized Fe3O4 (P−Fe3O4) with interior void spaces induced by phosphorization to enhance the Li+ storage property of Fe3O4‐based anodes. P−Fe3O4 anodes offer a much higher capacity at low potential compared with bare Fe3O4 electrodes. Additionally, the well‐designed nanostructure with preferable specific surface area prevents the initial irreversible lithium loss, which contributes to a brilliant ICE (80.8 % at 100 mA g−1). Moreover, in‐situ X‐ray diffraction proves that the formation of the LixFe3O4 phase results from an initial intercalation process. In particular, the output voltage and energy density of P−Fe3O4 full‐cells are much greater than those of Fe3O4 full‐cells. In this work, the P−Fe3O4 full‐cell exhibits a capacity of 680 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 as well as an excellent rate capability of 267 mAh g−1 with a current density up to 1000 mA g−1. This study presents a new strategy to enhance Li+ storage of Fe3O4 enabling low lithiation/delithiation potential and high ICE, which may offer exciting opportunities toward designing high‐performance full‐cells with commercial cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Ni2P nanostructures were grown on the surface of Ni foam (NF) via a phosphorization reaction of Ni(OH)2 nanostructures that were synthesized by a facile, low-cost hydrothermal reaction of NF in 15 mM urea solution without nickel salt. Others, the obtained NF loaded by Ni2P nanostructures (Ni2P-NF) can be used as a binder-free electrode. Electrochemical testing was used to research the electrochemical performances of the Ni2P-NF as supercapacitors electrode. Results showed that the Ni2P-NF electrode displays remarkable specific capacitance of 2031 mF cm−2 (2539 F g−1) at the current density of 1 mA cm−2 (2859 mF cm−2 (3574 F g−1) at the potential scan rate of 5 mV s−1), good rate capability, and prominent cycle stability (the capacitance retention is 89.3% after 2500 cycles). Therefore, the self-supported Ni2P-NF is an excellent electrode for high-performance supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two charge transfer pathways of interface coupling and shallow traps. • We prepared P-doped In 2 S 3 nanosheets with an amorphous InPO x shell on FTO. • The photocurrent density increased 15-times compared with pristine In 2 S 3 nanosheets. • Two charge transfer pathways of interface coupling and shallow traps were proposed. • The prepared photoanode showed very favorable stability on a layer of TiO 2. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting via semiconductors is an effective and feasible method for synthesizing renewable hydrogen (H 2) fuels. In this study, β-In 2 S 3 nanosheets were first grown on conductive glass. Then, we prepared P-doped β-In 2 S 3 nanosheets with an amorphous InPO x overlayer via the incomplete phosphorization of pristine β-In 2 S 3 nanosheets. When we used this material as photoanode in a PEC cell for water splitting, the photocurrent density drastically increased to 2.2 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (vs. RHE). It enhanced 15 times as the pristine β-In 2 S 3 nanosheets, which was only 0.15 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE (solar standard spectrum, 100 mW cm−2). The photoelectric conversion efficiency as high as 0.65% at a low potential of 0.81 V vs. RHE was achieved for the phosphorized β-In 2 S 3 nanosheets. A series of experiments proved that the P-doping accelerated semiconductor charge-transport and the InPO x overlayer played cocatalyst role. We penetratingly investigated the pathway of charge transfer via femtosecond transient absorption. The results showed one pathway of charge transfer in pristine β-In 2 S 3 photoanode. However, there were two pathways (core/shell coupling and shallow trap states) for charge transfer in the phosphorized β-In 2 S 3 photoanode, which improved the performance of its PEC water oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Exploring low-cost and outstanding bimetallic phosphides to substitute noble metals as electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media is essential for renewable energy technologies. Herein, bimetallic nickel-iron phosphides nanoparticles (P-NiFe-800 NPs) with rich defects have been synthesized through gas annealing at 800 °C and phosphorization using uniform nickel-iron nanocubes (NiFe NCs) as precursor. At optimized calcination temperature, the obtained P-NiFe-800 NPs are composed of uniform nanoparticles with the rough surface, which suggests the larger surface area and more exposed rich active sites than other samples for OER. The introduction of P element to binary nickel-iron metals can optimize the crystalline and electronic structures of NiFe NCs and thus enhance electrocatalytic properties. Owing to the distinct morphological structure and synergistic effect between nickel-iron and phosphorus, P-NiFe-800 NPs demonstrate superior electrocatalytic activities for OER with lower overpotential of 270.1 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2, smaller Tafel slope of 39 mV dec−1, lower electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) value, bigger determined double-layer capacitance (C dl) of 2130 uF cm−2 and prominent stability than NiFe NCs, NiFe-600 NPs, NiFe-700 NPs, NiFe-800 NPs, NiFe-900 NPs, P-NiFe NCs, P-NiFe-600 NPs, P-NiFe-700 NPs and P-NiFe-900 NPs. The optimized phosphorization is helpful for fabricating the bimetallic phosphides as efficient catalysts for OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst (Fe@Fe2P/NCNT) fabricated from the phosphorization of partially oxidized iron nanorod encapsulated in nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (Fe@Fe2O3/NCNT) synthesized from iron trichloride and melamine, which only requires ∼0 mV and 78.2 mV overpotentials to achieve cathodic current densities of 1 mA cm−2 and 10 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 52.2 mV dec−1 in acidic media, which exhibits higher HER electrocatalytic activity compared to Fe/NCNT requiring a overpotential of 118.5 mV to attain 10 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 92.3 mV dec−1. Due to the phosphorization process, additional active sites coming from Fe2P boost the electrocatalytic activity of Fe@Fe2P/NCNT resulting in decrement in overpotentials by 40.3 mV and 186 mV for 10 mA cm−2 and 50 mA cm−2 compared to Fe/NCNT electrocatalyst, respectively. Meanwhile, Fe@Fe2P/NCNT exhibits ignorable degradation in HER activity after 6000 potential cycles suggesting that the Fe@Fe2P/NCNT with superior HER activity and stability could potentially replace the benchmark Pt/C (overpotential@10 mA cm−2: 31 mV) as efficient HER electrocatalyst for water splitting. Top performance: Fe@Fe2P nanorods encapsulated in nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes show a superior performance as catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction with overpotentials of 0 mV and 78.2 mV to deliver catalytic current densities of 1 mA cm−2 and 10 mA cm−2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, metal selenides/phosphides have attracted increasing interest as electrode candidates for energy storage devices due to their high conductivity, redox activity, and specific capacity. Herein, we report the cobalt selenate-cobalt phosphide (CoSeO 3 -CoP 3) composite materials by a two-step synthesis method. Initially, the CoSeO 3 was rapidly synthesized via a facile single-step hydrothermal method for 30 min (CSO-30). Benefitting from rich redox-activity and morphological advantages, the CSO-30 electrode exhibited a higher areal capacity (C A) of 351 µAh cm−2 (specific capacity (C S) of 159.5 mAh g−1) at 2 mA cm−2 than those of the CSO electrodes obtained for 15 and 45 min. In the next step, the phosphorization process was performed to modify/alter the CSO-30 crystal structure by incorporating the phosphorus element, which leads to the formation of CoSeO 3 -CoP 3 (CSO-CP) composite. The resultant CSO-CP electrode delivered an improved C A of 627.7 µAh cm−2 (C S of 179.3 mAh g−1) at 2 mA cm−2 compared to the CSO-30 electrode. Furthermore, a hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) cell was fabricated with CSO-CP and activated carbon electrodes. The HSC revealed a maximum energy density of 0.43 mWh cm−2 and a maximum power density of 18.1 mW cm−2. Moreover, the feasibility of the HSC was verified by powering various electronic devices. • The CoSeO 3 was successfully synthesized by a single-step hydrothermal method within 30 min • The phosphorus was incorporated into the CSO-30 electrode in the presence of N 2 gas atmosphere. • The CSO-CP electrode showed an enhanced C A of 627.7 µAh cm−2 (C S of 179.3 mAh g−1). • The CSO-CP electrode illustrated the retention of 101.4 % after 12500 GCD cycles. • The fabricated hybrid supercapacitor cell showed excellent energy storage properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a low cost, high performance and stable catalyst is an important prerequisite for the widespread application of efficient hydrogen production from sodium borohydride (NaBH 4). Herein, Ni-BTC is derived into CoP-NiCoP/NC catalyst consisting of CoP-NiCoP nanorods and nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) microsphere by hydrothermal and gas-phase phosphorylation methods. The CoP-NiCoP/NC catalyst exhibits good catalytic activity, with a high hydrogen evolution rate of NaBH 4 reaching 7052 mL·min−1·g−1 at 303 K, and an activation energy of only 35.57 kJ·mol−1. This is significantly better than most catalysts reported previously. In addition, the CoP-NiCoP/NC catalyst demonstrates good durability with 75 % of the original catalytic activity after 10 performance testing. This excellent catalytic performance is achieved thanks to its porous microsphere structural design and the cooperative effect between CoP and NiCoP. This catalyst with high catalytic performance and mild preparation conditions is promising for future actual applications. • Novel CoP-NiCoP/NC catalyst was prepared by three-step simple methods. • The CoP-NiCoP/NC catalyst composed of CoP-NiCoP nanorods and nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) microspheres. • The synergistic catalysis of CoP and NiCoP effectively improved the catalytic activity. • The catalyst achieved excellent hydrogen production performance and lower Ea of 35.57 kJ·mol−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nickel cobalt phosphide nanowires are fabricated on titanium foil through phosphating reaction from their nickel and cobalt hydroxide precursors, which are employed as the counter electrode materials for the dye-sensitized solar cell. Electrochemical investigations demonstrate that the ternary nickel cobalt phosphide counter electrode exhibits higher catalytic activity than that of the binary nickel phosphide and cobalt phosphide counter electrodes, which is due to that the introduction of two transition metals can adjust the valence electron and provide two electron donating active sites. The dye-sensitized solar cell with the ternary nickel cobalt phosphide counter electrode achieves a competitive photoelectric conversion efficiency of 8.01%, which is higher than that of the binary nickel phosphide (3.73%) and cobalt phosphide (2.80%) counter electrodes under the same conditions and comparable photovoltaic performance to that using the conventional platinum counter electrode (8.69%) for the dye-sensitized solar cell. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • NiCoP nanowires were fabricated through a low temperature phosphidation. • NiCoP nanowires were used as a counter electrode materials for the first time. • NiCoP counter electrode exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity. • Solar cell based on NiCoP counter electrode yields a competitive efficiency of 8.01%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Developing cheaper but efficient electrocatalysts toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are highly desirable for the sustainable energy conversion techniques. The nanostructured CoP has been proved to be one of the most efficient non-noble metal HER catalyst. However, to further improve their performance in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is still a challenging task. In the present work, we prepare the nanohybrid CeO 2 -CoP-C catalyst with high porosity through a co-ionic-exchange with Co and Ce ions using the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as template followed with a low-temperature phosphorization route. The high porosity of the catalysts is conductive to the diffusion and mass transfer of the reactants on the catalyst surface. Meanwhile, the doping of rare earth (RE) element modulates the electronic structure of the CoP nanoparticles, and the carbon skeleton left over from the annealed MOF is beneficial to the electronic conduction in the catalyst. Electrochemical tests showed that the ternary CeO 2 -CoP-C/CC hybrid nanostructure presented overpotential of 71 mV at 10 mV cm−2 (η 10), which is much higher than that of the binary CoP-C/CC catalysts (i.e., 132 mV). In addition, the ternary catalyst also presented a superior long-term durability in an acidic electrolyte. This work opens up a potential strategy for designing more efficient CoP-based catalysts toward electrochemical water splitting. Graphical abstract The porous ternary CeO 2 -CoP-carbon skeleton hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized with MOF (ZIF-8) as a template via a modified co-ionic exchange and phosphorization method, and they show an obvious enhancement in their HER performance. Image 1 Highlights • A porous ternary CeO 2 -CoP-C hybrid nanostructure was constructed. • The carbon skeleton provided a superior mass diffusion and connectivity. • The CeO 2 -dopping greatly promotes the HER performance of CoP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst (3 D S235‐P steel) based on a steel S235 substrate was successfully prepared by facile one‐step surface modification. The standard carbon‐manganese steel was phosphorized superficially, which led to the formation of a unique 3 D interconnected nanoporous surface with a high specific area that facilitated the electrocatalytically initiated oxygen evolution reaction. The prepared 3 D S235‐P steel exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic OER activities in the alkaline regime, as confirmed by a low overpotential (326 mV at a 10 mA cm−2) and a small Tafel slope of 68.7 mV dec−1. Moreover, the catalyst was found to be stable under long‐term usage conditions, functioning as an oxygen‐evolving electrode at pH 13, as evidenced by the sufficient charge‐to‐oxygen conversion rate (faradaic efficiency: 82.11 and 88.34 % at 10 and 5 mA cm−2, respectively). In addition, it turned out that the chosen surface modification delivered steel S235 as an OER electrocatalyst that was stable under neutral pH conditions. Our investigation revealed that the high catalytic activities likely stemmed from the generated Fe/(Mn) hydroxide/oxohydroxides generated during the OER process. Phosphorization treatment therefore not only is an efficient way to optimize the electrocatalytic performance of standard carbon‐manganese steel but also enables for the development of low‐costing and abundant steels in the field of energy conversion. True as steel: A novel oxygen evolution reaction catalyst, 3 D S235‐P steel, is successfully prepared by facile one‐step surface modification. Standard carbon‐manganese steel is phosphorized superficially to give a unique 3 D interconnected nanoporous surface with a high specific area that facilitates the electrocatalytically initiated oxygen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of effective and high capacitive electrode materials for supercapacitor applications is highly desired. CoP nanowires are prepared by hydrothermal-oxidation-phosphidation method. As a novel electrode material for supercapacitors operating in alkaline aqueous electrolyte, the CoP nanowire electrode exhibits relatively high specific capacitance of 558 F g −1 at a current density of 1 A g −1 , maintains a stable cycling life with 98% of the initial capacitance after continuous 5000 cycles. Furthermore, the CoP nanowire electrode can reach up to a high energy density of 23.4 W h Kg −1 at a power density of 274 W Kg −1 . Moreover, it is found that as-prepared CoP nanowire electrode delivers substantially enhanced specific capacitance and rate performance compared with the Co 3 O 4 nanowire electrode. These results demonstrate that the CoP nanowires could be an attractive electrode material for high-performance supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]