Pt (111) quantum dot decorated flower-like αFe2O3 (104) thin film nanosheets as a highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting. Issue 18 (18th April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ye, Bo; Huang, Lirong; Hou, Yanping; Jiang, Ronghua; Sun, Lei; Yu, Zebin; Zhang, Boge; Huang, Yiyi; Zhang, Yalan
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 7:Issue 18(2019)
• Page Start: 11379
• Page End: 11386
• Publication Date: 2019-04-18
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ta01975h
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : Flower-like Pt–αFe2 O3 thin film nanosheets with αFe2 O3 and Pt quantum dots have excellent catalytic performance for overall water splitting. Abstract : Water splitting is a promising approach for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The search for highly active and cost-effective bifunctional catalysts to reduce the consumption of noble metals is necessary for efficient electrochemical water splitting. Using noble metal quantum dots has drawn increasing attention. Herein, we developed flower-like Pt–αFe2 O3 thin film nanosheets on Ni foam (NF) as a highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting in alkaline electrolyte. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques were used to characterize the electrocatalyst. The unique design of Pt (111) quantum dot decorated flower-like αFe2 O3 (104) thin film nanosheets exhibited a quantum size effect and possessed many active sites. Pt–αFe2 O3 /NF electrodes which were loaded with a small amount of Pt quantum dots exhibited low overpotentials for the OER (304 mV@50 mA cm −2 ) and HER (90 mV@10 mA cm −2 ), and a low voltage of 1.51 V for overall water splitting in 1 M KOH. Moreover, excellent stability was observed. Therefore, the flower-like nanosheet Pt–αFe2 O3 /NF electrode is a promising bifunctional electrocatalyst with the quantum size effect for overall water splitting in alkaline solution.