Facile synthesis of hierarchical NiCoP nanosheets/NiCoP nanocubes homojunction electrocatalyst for highly efficient and stable hydrogen evolution reaction

Designing and synthesizing stable, low-cost, and eco-friendly precious-metal-free electrocatalysts with high performance for hydrogen evolution is a critical and challenging task in the research and development of renewable hydrogen energy. Herein, we show an interfacial engineering strategy to synthesize the NiCoP nanosheets/NiCoP nanocubes homojunction electrocatalyst supported on Ni foam (2D/3D-NiCoP/NF). The assynthesized 2D/3D-NiCoP/NF catalyst shows impressive HER activity, and a current density of 10 mA cm-2 can be achieved with only an overpotential of 37 mV in 1 M KOH solution. Such impressive HER performance of this 2D/3D-NiCoP/NF homojunction electrocatalyst is principally due to the exposure of abundance accessible active sites originated from the hierarchical structure of nanocubes on the nanosheets. Moreover, the intimate contact between 2D/3D-NiCoP and NF can simultaneously shorten the electron transport pathway and improve its stability. This novel 2D/3D-NiCoP/NF homojunction is expected to provide a powerful interface-engineering reference for the design and construction of high-efficiency synergistic HER electrocatalysts.