Interfacial Electron‐Modulated Pt Sites on Self‐Supported NiCoP Nanosheets for Enhancing Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

ABSTRACT The development of electrocatalysts with high activity and low precious‐metal contents is essential for efficient hydrogen production in the entire pH range. Herein, a Pt/NiCoP/carbon felt (CF) composite self‐supporting catalyst was constructed via electrodeposition of small Pt nanoparticles using inexpensive CF as a carrier and pre‐grown NiCoP as a substrate. High‐efficiency catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was realized in the entire pH range. In electrolytes containing 1 M KOH, 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 , and 1 M phosphate‐buffered saline, the overpotentials (η 10 ) of HER driven by Pt/NiCoP/CF were as low as 22, 22, and 12 mV, respectively, which were better than those of a commercial Pt/C catalyst. The current density of Pt/NiCoP/CF‐catalyzed HER did not change significantly after a continuous operation for 100 h. In addition, the catalytic performance of Pt/NiCoP/CF for HER conducted in real seawater, seawater containing a supporting electrolyte, and simulated seawater was better than that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, Pt/NiCoP/CF achieved ampere‐level hydrogen production in an all‐electrolytic cell for HER with a cell voltage as low as 1.7 V at a current density of 1 A cm −2 . Density functional theory calculations revealed that the Pt‐doped NiCoP catalyst promoted electron transfer and improved the HER performance of Pt/NiCoP/CF in the entire pH range. This work provides an innovative idea for the development of efficient and stable noble metal and non‐noble metal composite catalysts and describes a potential self‐supporting catalyst for efficient electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen in the entire pH range.