Synthesis of Nickel Nitride‐Based 1D/0D Heterostructure via a Morphology‐Inherited Nitridation Strategy for Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract

The fabrication of heterostructures has inspired extensive interest in promoting the performance of solar cells or solar fuel production, but it is still challenging for nitrides to prepare structurally ordered heterostructures. Herein, one nickel nitride‐based heterostructure composed of 1D Ni0.2Mo0.8N nanorods and 0D Ni3N nanoparticles (denoted as NiMoN/NiN) is reported to exhibit significantly promoted hydrogen evolution reaction performance in both alkaline and neutral media. In particular, the optimal overpotential of the NiMoN/NiN sample at 10 mA cm−2 in 1 m KOH is 49 mV. The successful fabrication of 1D/0D heterostructures is mainly ascribed to morphology‐inherited nitridation of 1D oxide precursor (denoted as NiMoO‐NRs) in situ grown on Ni foam surface, and attributed to strong Lewis acid–base interaction that renders the Ni2+ ions emitted from the oxide precursor to well coordinate with NH3 for the formation of Ni3N nanoparticles during the nitridation process. It is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated that the special 1D/0D heterostructure provides tandem active phases Ni0.2Mo0.8N and Ni3N for synergistic promotion in lowering the activation energy of H2O dissociation and optimizing the adsorption energy of H, respectively. This work may open a new avenue for developing highly active tandem electrocatalysts for promising renewable energy conversion.

Atomic Heterointerface Engineering of Nickel Selenide Confined Nickel Molybdenum Nitride for High‐Performance Solar‐Driven Water Splitting

“…In addition, other diffraction peaks located at around 32.2°, 36.5°, and 49.4°are ascribed to the (001), (100), and (101) crystal plane, respectively, of the Ni 0.2 Mo 0.8 N (PDF#00-029-0931). [24][25][26][27] Regarding the XRD pattern of the NiSe 2 -NPs/NiMoN-NRs, Figure 1c shows a series of diffraction peaks appearing at 29.8°, 33.4°, 36.8°, 42.7°, 44.8°, 50.6°, 55.4°, 57.7°, and 62.1°that are associated with the (200), ( 210), ( 211), ( 220), ( 221), (311), ( 230), (321), and (400) crystal plane, respectively, of the NiSe 2 (PDF#00-041-1495), [28] confirming the successful synthesis of NiSe 2 NPs on surface of the NiMoN NRs. However, the crystalline feature of the Ni 0.2 Mo 0.8 N phase is observable with unclear weak specific signals because it is critically affected by the interference phenomenon of background noise caused by the strong intensity of multi diffraction peaks derived from the crystalline NiSe 2 phase, as similarly seen in previous reports.…”

Synergistically Coupling of Manganese-Doped CoP Nanowires Arrays with Highly Dispersed Ni(PO3)2 Nanoclusters toward Efficient Overall Water Splitting

“…Therefore, the synergistic effect between Mn doping and Ni(PO 3 ) 2 surface decoration greatly enhance the electrocatalytic performance. It should be mentioned that the unique structural properties of 1D/0D heterostructure provide higher specific surface areas along with more active sites, 62 which also contribute to the excellent electrocatalytic performance. Moreover, the vertically aligned and densely wraped morphological characteristics maintain strong adhesion, which favors the electrical contact between catalysts and the carbon cloth substrate.…”

Hydrogen production by traditional and novel alkaline water electrolysis on nickel or iron based electrocatalysts

“…The formation of metal-nitrogen bonds usually leads to the change of the state density of the metal d band, thus changing the electron density around NiMo and optimizing its surface adsorption capacity. 88,89 Fuxiang Zhang et al constructed a heterostructure catalyst composed of 1D Ni 0.2 Mo 0.8 N nanorods and 0D Ni 3 N nanoparticles (Fig. 3e), which showed remarkable hydrogen evolution reaction performance in alkaline medium with an overpotential of 49 mV at 10 mA cm À2 .…”