Introduction of manganese-iron phosphide as hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst based on their poly aspartic acid complexes

Abstract

Electrocatalysts play an important role in water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen, resulting in a clean and sustainable source of hydrogen energy. However, to make this process affordable and efficient, electrocatalysts that are highly active and low-cost are necessary. This study describes the use of poly aspartic acid ligand to coordinate the metal ions Fe3+ and Mn2+, which are then precipitated, carbonized, and phosphorized to create MnFe/P/C coordination polymer structures. These structures serve as electrocatalysts for HER and exhibit effective activity, with an overpotential of 143 mV at the current density of 10 mA/cm2 and a Tafel slope of 58.4 mVdec−1. This performance surpasses that of oxide electrocatalysts. The high surface area of the MnFe/P/C nanocomposite contributes to its durability and efficiency. This study suggests that using transition metals and amino acids to construct electrocatalysts could lead to further advancements in HER electrocatalysts.