Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T02:52:27.921Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Well dispersed Fe2N nanoparticles on surface of nitrogen-doped reduced graphite oxide for highly efficient electrochemical hydrogen evolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2017

Yi Zhang ,
Ying Xie ,
Yangtao Zhou ,
Xiuwen Wang  and
Kai Pan
Yi Zhang
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, People’s Republic of China
Ying Xie
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, People’s Republic of China
Yangtao Zhou
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, People’s Republic of China
Xiuwen Wang
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, People’s Republic of China
Kai Pan*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, People’s Republic of China
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

It is important to fabricate iron-based nitride/conductive material composite to obtain good catalytic performance. In this work, Fe2N nanoparticles with diameter of approximately 30 nm have been successfully dispersed on the surface of nitrogen-doped graphite oxide (NrGO) by a facile sol–gel method and further ammonia atmosphere treatment. XPS, XRD, Raman, and TEM proved that Fe2N nanoparticles are well monodispersed, and nitrogen atoms are doped in NrGO. The composite possessed two merits, that is, the more catalytic active site in Fe2N nanoparticles due to the well monodispersion, and fast electron transfer due to the nitrogen dope in rGO. With the proper ratio, the composite exhibited brilliant catalytic activity and durability in acidic media. It possesses overpotential of 94 mV to approach 10 mA/cm2, a small Tefel slope of 49 mV/dec, and maintains the good electrocatalytic activity for 10 h. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicated that the electrocatalyst possessed high catalytic active area and fast electron transfer. Our work may provide a new avenue for the preparation of low-cost iron-based nitride/NrGO composite for highly efficient electrochemical hydrogen evolution.

Keywords

nanostructurecatalyticnitride
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 32 , Issue 9 , 15 May 2017 , pp. 1770 - 1776
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Contributing Editor: Xiaobo Chen

References

REFERENCES

Morales-Guio, C.G., Stern, L.A., and Hu, X.: Cheminform abstract: Nanostructured hydrotreating catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution. Chem. Soc. Rev. 43, 6555 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zeng, M. and Li, Y.G.: Recent advances in heterogeneous electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction. J. Porphyrins Phthalocyanines 3, 510 (2015).Google Scholar
Lukowski, M.A., Daniel, A.S., English, C.R., Meng, F., Forticaux, A., Hamers, R.J., and Jin, S.: Highly active hydrogen evolution catalysis from metallic WS2 nanosheets. Energy Environ. Sci. 7, 2608 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zou, X.X., Huang, X.X., Goswami, A., Silva, R., Sathe, B.R., Mikmeková, E., and Asefa, T.: Cobalt-embedded nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes efficiently catalyze hydrogen evolution reaction at all pH values. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 126, 4372 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duan, J., Chen, S., Jaroniec, M., and Qiao, S.Z.: Porous C3N4 nanolayers@N-graphene films as catalyst electrodes for highly efficient hydrogen evolution. ACS Nano 9, 931 (2015).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zhou, W., Zhou, J., Zhou, Y., Lu, J., Zhou, K., Yang, L.J., Tang, Z.H., Li, L.G., and Chen, S.W.: N-doped carbon-wrapped cobalt nanoparticles on N-doped graphene nanosheets for high-efficiency hydrogen production. Chem. Mater. 27, 2026 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fan, X., Peng, Z., Ye, R., Zhou, H., and Guo, X.: M3C (M: Fe, Co, Ni) nanocrystals encased in graphene nanoribbons: An active and stable bifunctional electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution reactions. ACS Nano 9, 7407 (2015).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Deng, J., Ren, P., Deng, D., Yu, L., Yang, F., and Bao, X.H.: Highly active and durable non-precious-metal catalysts encapsulated in carbon nanotubes for hydrogen evolution reaction. Energy Environ. Sci. 7, 1919 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faber, M.S., Lukowski, M.A., Qi, D., Kaiser, N.S., and Song, J.: Earth-abundant metal pyrites (FeS2, CoS2, NiS2, and their alloys) for highly efficient hydrogen evolution and polysulfide reduction electrocatalysis. J. Phys. Chem. C 118, 21347 (2014).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, R., Gu, S., Du, H., and Li, C.: Controlled synthesis of FeP nanorod arrays as highly efficient hydrogen evolution cathode. J. Mater. Chem. A 2, 17263 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, X., Lu, A.Y., Zhu, Y., Min, S., Hedhili, M.N., Han, Y., Huang, K.W., and Li, L.J.: Rugae-like FeP nanocrystal assembly on a carbon cloth: An exceptionally efficient and stable cathode for hydrogen evolution. Nanoscale 7, 10974 (2015).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lv, C., Peng, Z., Zhao, Y.X., Huang, Z.P., and Zhang, C.: The hierarchical nanowires array of iron phosphide integrated on a carbon fiber paper as an effective electrocatalyst for hydrogen generation. J. Mater. Chem. A 4, 1454 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yu, P., Wang, L., Sun, F., Zhao, D., Tian, C.G., Zhao, L., Liu, X., Wang, J.Q., and Fu, H.G.: Three dimensional Fe2N@C microspheres grown on reduced graphite oxide for lithium ion batteries and the Li storage mechanism. Chem. –Eur. J. 21, 3249 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, B., Xiao, C., Xie, S., Liang, J., Chen, X., and Tang, Y.H.: Iron–nickel nitride nanostructures in situ grown on surface-redox-etching nickel foam: Efficient and ultrasustainable electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. Chem. Mater. 28, 6934 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jia, X., Zhao, Y., Chen, G., Shang, L., Shi, R., Kang, X., Waterhouse, G.I.N., Wu, L.Z., Tung, C.H., and Zhang, T.R.: Ni3FeN nanoparticles derived from ultrathin NiFe-layered double hydroxide nanosheets: An efficient overall water splitting electrocatalyst. Adv. Energy Mater. 6, 1502585 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jiang, M., Li, Y.J., Lu, Z.Y., Sun, X.M., and Duan, X.: Binary nickel–iron nitride nanoarrays as bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. Inorg. Chem. Front. 3, 630 (2016).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, L., Yin, J., Zhao, L., Tian, C., Yu, P., Wang, J., and Fu, H.: Ion-exchanged route synthesis of Fe2N-N-doped graphitic nanocarbons composite as advanced oxygen reduction electrocatalyst. Chem. Commun. 49, 3022 (2013).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Agemi, M., Kayama, K., Noborisaka, M., Tachimoto, Y., Shirakura, A., and Suzuki, T.: Synthesis of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films with a line type atmospheric-pressure plasma CVD apparatus. Surf. Coat. Technol. 206, 2025 (2011).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwarz, U., Wosylus, A., Wessel, M., Dronskowski, R., Hanfland, M., Rau, D., and Niewa, R.: High-pressure–high-temperature behavior of Ζ-Fe2N and phase transition to Fe3N1.5 . Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2009, 1634 (2009).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hummers, W.S. and Offeman, R.E.: Preparation of graphitic oxide. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 80, 1339 (1958).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Qu, L., Liu, Y., Baek, J.B., and Dai, L.: Nitrogen-doped graphene as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction in fuel cells. ACS Nano 4, 1321 (2010).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sheng, Z.H., Shao, L., Chen, J.J., Bao, W.J., Wang, F.B., and Xia, X.H.: Catalyst-free synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene via thermal annealing graphite oxide with melamine and its excellent electrocatalysis. ACS Nano 5, 4350 (2011).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wen, Z.H., Wang, X., Mao, S., Bo, Z., Kim, H., Cui, S., Lu, G., Feng, X.L., and Chen, J.H.: Crumpled nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets with ultrahigh pore volume for high-performance supercapacitor. Adv. Mater. 24, 5610 (2012).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lin, Z., Waller, G., Liu, Y., Liu, M.L., and Wong, C.P.: Facile synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene via pyrolysis of graphene oxide and urea, and its electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen-reduction reaction. Adv. Energy Mater. 2, 884 (2012).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, Z., Lu, B., Hao, J., Yang, W., and Tang, J.: FeP nanoparticles grown on graphene sheets as highly active non-precious-metal electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction. Chem. Commun. 50, 11554 (2014).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Xie, J.F., Li, S., Zhang, X.D., Zhang, J.J., Wang, R.X., Zhang, H., Pan, B.C., and Xie, Y.: Atomically-thin molybdenum nitride nanosheets with exposed active surface sites for efficient hydrogen evolution. Chem. Sci. 5, 4615 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xiao, P., Sk, M.A., Thia, L., Ge, X.M., Lim, R.J., Wang, J.Y., Lim, K.H., and Wang, X.: Molybdenum phosphide as an efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction. Energy Environ. Sci. 7, 2624 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Voiry, D., Yamaguchi, H., Li, J., Silva, R., Alves, D.C., Fujita, T., Chen, M., Asefa, T., Shenoy, V.B., Eda, G., and Chhowalla, M.: Enhanced catalytic activity in strained chemically exfoliated WS2 nanosheets for hydrogen evolution. Nat. Mater. 12, 850 (2013).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bockris, J. and Potter, E.C.: The mechanism of the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction. J. Electrochem. Soc. 99, 169 (1952).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jafarian, M., Azizi, O., Gobal, F., and Mahjani, M.G.: Kinetics and electrocatalytic behavior of nanocrystalline conife alloy in hydrogen evolution reaction. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 32, 1686 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shi, J.L., Pu, Z.H., Liu, Q., Asiri, A.M., Hu, J., and Sun, X.P.: Tungsten nitride nanorods array grown on carbon cloth as an efficient hydrogen evolution cathode at all pH values. Electrochim. Acta 154, 345 (2015).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conway, B.E., Birss, V., and Wojtowicz, J.: The role and utilization of pseudocapacitance for energy storage by supercapacitors. J. Power Sources 66, 1 (1997).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kubisztal, J., Budniok, A., and Lasia, A.: Study of the hydrogen evolution reaction on nickel-based composite coatings containing molybdenum powder. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 32, 1211 (2007).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liao, L., Wang, S., Xiao, J., Bian, X., Zhang, Y., Scanlon, M.D., Hu, X.L., Tang, Y., Liu, B.H., and Girault, H.H.: A nanoporous molybdenum carbide nanowire as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction. Energy Environ. Sci. 7, 387 (2014).CrossRefGoogle Scholar