Modification strategies on transition metal-based electrocatalysts for efficient water splitting

Electrocatalytic water splitting driven by electrocatalysts is recognized as a promising strategy to generate clean hydrogen fuel. Searching and constructing high-efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts is vital in the practical applications of electrocatalytic water splitting. Although transition metal-based materials have been considered as promising electrocatalysts, the satisfactory activities are usually not built on the bulk materials, but strongly relying on elaborately designing these electrocatalysts. Herein, the recent theoretical and experimental progress on modification strategies to improve the intrinsic activities is summarized, especially including element doping, phase engineering, structure cooperation, interface engineering, vacancy engineering, strain engineering and self-functionalization. Finally, the future opportunities and challenges on these modification strategies are also proposed. Overall, it is anticipated that these modification strategies offer some new understandings on rationally constructing non-noble electrocatalysts for efficient electrocatalytic water splitting.