Three-dimensional open nano-netcage electrocatalysts for efficient pH-universal overall water splitting.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31653856.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-019-12885-0 and PMC identifier 6814841.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
High-efficiency water electrolysis is the key to sustainable energy. Here we report a highly active and durable RuIrO<sub>x</sub> (x ≥ 0) nano-netcage catalyst formed during electrochemical testing by in-situ etching to remove amphoteric ZnO from RuIrZnO<sub>x</sub> hollow nanobox. The dispersing-etching-holing strategy endowed the porous nano-netcage with a high exposure of active sites as well as a three-dimensional accessibility for substrate molecules, thereby drastically boosting the electrochemical surface area (ECSA). The nano-netcage catalyst achieved not only ultralow overpotentials at 10 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER; 12 mV, pH = 0; 13 mV, pH = 14), but also high-performance overall water electrolysis over a broad pH range (0 ~ 14), with a potential of mere 1.45 V (pH = 0) or 1.47 V (pH = 14) at 10 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>. With this universal applicability of our electrocatalyst, a variety of readily available electrolytes (even including waste water and sea water) could potentially be directly used for hydrogen production.