Defect‐Rich Ni3FeN Nanocrystals Anchored on N‐Doped Graphene for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution. (7th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Shulin; Li, Meng; Han, Min; Xu, Dongdong; Yang, Jing; Lin, Yue; Shi, Nai‐En; Lu, Yanan; Yang, Rui; Liu, Bitao; Dai, Zhihui; Bao, Jianchun
• Is Part Of: Advanced functional materials. Volume 28:Number 18(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-12-07
• Subjects: defects -- electrocatalysis -- metal nitrides -- nanohybrids -- N‐doped graphene -- oxygen evolution reaction; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201706018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1616-301X

Abstract

Abstract: Owing to their unique optical, electronic, and catalytic properties, metal nitrides nanostructures are widely used in optoelectronics, clean energy, and catalysis fields. Despite great progress has been achieved, synthesis of defect‐rich (DR) bimetallic nitride nanocrystals or related nanohybrids remains a challenge, and their electrocatalytic application for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has not been fully studied. Herein, the DR‐Ni3 FeN nanocrystals and N‐doped graphene (N‐G) nanohybrids (DR‐Ni3 FeN/N‐G) are fabricated through temperature‐programmed annealing and nitridation treatment of NiFe‐layered double hydroxides/graphene oxide precursors by controlling annealing atmosphere. In the nanohybrids, the DR‐Ni3 FeN nanocrystals are anchored on N‐G, and mainly show twin crystal defects besides ≈10% of stacking faults. Such nanohybrids can efficiently catalyze OER in alkaline media with a small overpotential (0.25 V) to attain the current density of 10 mA cm −2 and a high turnover frequency (0.46 s −1 ), superior to their counterparts (the nearly defect‐free Ni3 FeN/N‐G), commercial IrO2, and the‐state‐of‐art reported OER catalysts. Except for the superior activity, they show better durability than their counterparts yet. As revealed by microstructural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical analyses, the enhanced OER performance of DR‐Ni3 FeN/N‐G nanohybrids originates from the abundant twin crystal defects in Ni3 FeN active phase and the strong interplay between DR‐Ni3 FeN and N‐G. Abstract : Defect‐rich Ni3 FeN nanocrystals/N‐doped graphene (N‐G) nanohybrids are synthesized through temperature‐programmed annealing and nitridation treatment of NiFe‐layered double hydroxide/graphene oxide precursors. Due to the presence of abundant twin crystal defects and the strong interplay of their components, such nanohybrids exhibit greatly enhanced electrocatalytic performance for oxygen evolution, outperforming to their counterparts (nearly defect‐free Ni3 FeN/N‐G), commercial IrO2, and the state‐of‐the‐art reported electrocatalysts.