Phosphorus modified carbon fiber cloth as a robust and efficient anode for alkaline water electrolysis. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, X.; Liu, Y.H.; Cai, W.; Wang, Q.; Zeng, Z.; Hu, F.X.; Hu, T.; Liu, B.; Yang, H.B.
• Is Part Of: Materials today energy. Volume 20(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: Phosphorization -- Surface modification -- Heteroatom doping -- Oxygen evolution reaction; Energy development -- Periodicals; Energy industries -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Energy policy -- Periodicals; Energy development; Energy industries; Energy policy; Power resources; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtener.2021.100683
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2468-6069

Abstract

Abstract: Developing cost-effective electrocatalysts is critical to renewable energy conversion and storage technologies. In this work, commercial carbon fiber cloth (CFC) was thermally treated with PCl3 in a sealed-tube reactor to obtain phosphorus-modified CFC (P-CFC). The P-CFC can deliver an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) current density of 10 mA cm −2 with only 310 mV overpotential for 50 h with negligible activity decay, which is superior to all other reported metal-free OER electrocatalysts. The mechanism of improved OER activity was systematically studied by electron microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the p-type doping on the CFC surface by P atom could promote the electron transfer from OH − to the electrode; moreover, the formation of oxidized C–P active sites under anodic potential boosted OER activity both thermodynamically and kinetically. This work not only develops a highly active metal-free OER electrocatalyst but also introduces a promising method to enhance the durability of carbon support for oxidative electrochemical reactions. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: A phosphorus modification strategy was developed to construct P-doped carbon fiber cloth for OER in alkaline media. p-type doping by P increased the work-function of CFC, promoting the electron transfer from OH − to the electrode. P-doped carbon surface dramatically inhibited carbon corrosion under anodic applied potential.