Transition‐Metal Phosphides: Activity Origin, Energy‐Related Electrocatalysis Applications, and Synthetic Strategies

Abstract

Developing highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts plays an important role in energy-related electrocatalysis fields. Transition-metal phosphides (TMPs) possess a series of advantages, such as high conductivity, earthabundance reserves, and good physicochemical properties, therefore arousing wide attention. In this review, the electrochemical activity origin of TMPs, allowing the rational design and construction of phosphides toward various energy-relevant reactions is first discussed. Subsequently, their unique energy-related electrocatalysis nature toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR), nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), urea oxidation reaction (UOR), methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), and others is highlighted. Then, the TMPs' synthetic strategies are analyzed and summarized systematically. Finally, the existing key issues, countermeasures, and the future challenges of TMPs toward efficient energy-related electrocatalysis are briefly discussed.

Synergistically enhanced performance of transition-metal doped Ni2P for supercapacitance and overall water splitting

“…[6][7][8] The growing attention is due to their abundant earth reserves, high electrical conductivity, fast charge transfer, and good reaction kinetics. 9 Nickel phosphide is a binary system with multiple compositions or phases depending on the ratio of nickel to phosphorus in the system. Its different compositions range from metal-rich phases such as Ni2P, Ni12P5, Ni3P, Ni7P3 and Ni5P4 to phosphide rich ones like NiP2 and NiP3.…”

Structural dependence of electrosynthesized cobalt phosphide/black phosphorus pre-catalyst for oxygen evolution in alkaline media

“…15,22,23 Cobalt phosphide (CoP) is also a promising candidate as an OER electrocatalyst because of a variety of valences of this interstitial compound, and thus, it exhibits metallic alloy properties and an extremely high electrical conductivity. [24][25][26][27] Among the reported catalysts, wet chemical routes are generally employed to synthesize cobalt nanoparticles or CoP on exfoliated BP. The drawbacks of these wet chemical routes are quite obvious, such as a long reaction time and a multistep process.…”

Highly Enhanced Methanol Electrooxidation on Pt/N−CNT‐Decorated FeP**

“…[3,[6][7][8] Transition-metal phosphides exhibit high electrochemical activities in water splitting, fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors, due to the advantages of high conductivity, unique electronic structure and earthabundance reserves. [9][10][11] Especially, the P (phosphorus) atoms play a key role in catalysis, which can draw electrons from metal atoms and hence regulating the electronic properties of transition-metal. Recently, transition-metal phosphides can be used to promote the catalytic performance of the noble metal catalysts.…”

“…Decreasing particle size, alloying with other metals, optimizing the morphology, and introducing metal oxides have proved helpful in solving the above issues [3,6–8] . Transition‐metal phosphides exhibit high electrochemical activities in water splitting, fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors, due to the advantages of high conductivity, unique electronic structure and earth‐abundance reserves [9–11] . Especially, the P (phosphorus) atoms play a key role in catalysis, which can draw electrons from metal atoms and hence regulating the electronic properties of transition‐metal.…”