Rational design of highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts based on 3D transition-metal-based materials for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of great importance for sustainable energy conversion processes. Herein, a novel strategy involving outer and inner structural engineering is developed for superior water splitting via in situ vertical growth of 2D amorphous FePO nanosheets on Ni foam (Am FePO /NF). Careful experiments and density functional theory calculations show that the inner and outer structural engineering contributing to the synergistic effects of 2D morphology, amorphous structure, conductive substrate, and Ni-Fe mixed phosphate lead to superior electrocatalytic activity toward OER and HER. Furthermore, a two-electrode electrolyzer assembled using Am FePO /NF as an electrocatalyst at both electrodes gives current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm at potentials of 1.54 and 1.72 V, respectively, which is comparable to the best bifunctional electrocatalyst reported in the literature. The strategies, introduced in the present work, may open new opportunities for the rational design of other 3D transition-metal-based electrocatalyst through an outer and inner structural control to strengthen the electrocatalytic performance.

We present a one-pot colloidal route to synthesize VSe2, a new type of metallic single-layer nanosheet. The ∼0.4 nm thick VSe2 single-layer nanosheets possess extraordinary electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance with a low onset overpotential of 108 mV, a small Tafel slope of 88 mV per decade, and an exceptional overpotential of 206 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm(-2).

We report the rational design and synthesis of ultrathin VS2 TMD nanoplate with in-plane and out-of-plane defects for supercapacitor applications.

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Developing earth-rich highly efficient nonprecious electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has become of great significance for sustainable energy technology. Herein, novel nickel foam (NF) supported porous featherlike NiCoP (PF-NiCoP/NF) nanoarrys are constructed by a successive hydrothermal and phosphidation way. Simultaneously, their three-dimensional (3D) morphology, the holey structure, and the conductive substrate are favorable for the enhanced specific surface area, efficient electron and mass transfer, and exposure of more active sites, and also are beneficial for the release of generated H2. PF-NiCoP/NF demonstrates high activity and long-term durability in alkaline media (1 M KOH) and real seawater, reaching the current density of 10 mA cm–2 at overpotentials of 46 and 287 mV, respectively. Moreover, the faradaic efficiency of 3D PF-NiCoP/NF is as high as 96.5% in real seawater. As expected, PF-NiCoP/NF exhibits superior performance in comparison to those of most of HER electrocatalysts in real seawater and alkaline media. This work may present a new strategy to design a promising electrocatalyst superior to platinum in a wide range of pH and may provide a new idea for electrocatalytic seawater splitting.