Rational Synthesis of Core-Shell-Structured Nickel Sulfide-Based Nanostructures for Efficient Seawater Electrolysis.

Abstract

Versatile electrocatalysis at higher current densities for natural seawater splitting to produce hydrogen demands active and robust catalysts to overcome the severe chloride corrosion, competing chlorine evolution, and catalyst poisoning. Hereto, the core-shell-structured heterostructures composed of amorphous NiFe hydroxide layer capped Ni3 S2 nanopyramids which are directly grown on nickel foam skeleton (NiS@LDH/NF) are rationally prepared to regulate cooperatively electronic structure and mass transport for boosting oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance at larger current densities. The prepared NiS@LDH/NF delivers the anodic current density of 1000mA cm-2 at the overpotential of 341mV in 1.0m KOH seawater. The feasible surface reconstruction of Ni3 S2 -FeNi LDH interfaces improves the chemical stability and corrosion resistance, ensuring the robust electrocatalytic activity in seawater electrolytes for continuous and stable oxygen evolution without any hypochlorite production. Meanwhile, the designed Ni3 S2 nanopyramids coated with FeNi2 P layer (NiS@FeNiP/NF) still exhibit the improved hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity in 1.0m KOH seawater. Furthermore, the NiS@FeNiP/NF||NiS@LDH/NF pair requires cell voltage of 1.636V to attain 100mA cm-2 with a 100% Faradaic efficiency, exhibiting tremendous potential for hydrogen production from seawater.