Conductive Carbon Nanofibers Research Articles

CoFe2O4 nanoparticle embedded carbon nanofibers: A promising non-noble metal catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

There is a strong demand for noble metal-free durable catalysts to facilitate the advancement of clean, sustainable energy technologies and to replace energy equipment reliant on fossil fuels. In this study, metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived CoFe2O4 (CFO) nanoparticle-embedded electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were synthesized. Nanofibers were calcined at three different temperatures to obtain optimum electrocatalytic performance in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Nanofibers annealed at 800 °C (CFO@CNFs 800) displayed a reduced overpotential of 300 mV while maintaining a steady current density of 10 mA cm−2. CFO@CNFs 800 demonstrated Tafel slope 42 mV dec−1 with excellent long-term stability up to 48 h. The synergistic effect of the redox activity of CFO coupled with the high surface area and conductivity of carbon nanofibers is responsible for enhanced OER performance.

Electrospun carbon/iron–vanadium oxide nanofibers for high energy density supercapacitors

Highly flexible and conductive carbon nanofibers (CNFs) embedded with pseudocapacitive iron–vanadium oxide (FVO) nanoparticles were fabricated via electrospinning of a metal salt/polyacrylonitrile solution followed by high-temperature annealing (750 °C). CNFs have a graphitic structure with defects, which could accelerate electron mobility and the access of electrolytic ions to the multivalent FVO nanoparticles, respectively. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was introduced as a sacrificial polymer to alter the internal structure of the nanofibers and thus enhance the electrolytic ion transport pathways. Terephthalic acid was added to provide flexibility by increasing the cross-linking within the electrospun fibers. The flexible FVO/CNFs exhibited excellent electrochemical performance. The optimal sample had a high areal capacitance of 1058 mF·cm−2 at a current density of 2.5 mA·cm−2 and showed 100 % capacitance retention during long-term cycling (10,000 cycles). The capacitance at a high current density of 25 mA·cm−2 was 81.3 % of that at a current density of 2.5 mA·cm−2. Using a wider potential window of 0–1.6 V increased the energy density to 389 μW·h·cm−2. The optimal FVO/CNF sample maintained 90 % of its initial capacitance after 200 bending cycles.

Electrokinetic particle trapping in microfluidic wells using conductive nanofiber mats.

The frequency dependence of electrokinetic particle trapping using large-area (>mm2) conductive carbon nanofiber (CNF) mat electrodes is investigated. The fibers provide nanoscale geometric features for the generation of high electric field gradients, which is necessary for particle trapping via dielectrophoresis (DEP). A device was fabricated with an array of microfluidic wells for repeated experiments; each well included a CNF mat electrode opposing an aluminum electrode. Fluorescent microspheres (1µm) were trapped at various electric field frequencies between 30kHz and 1MHz. Digital images of each well were analyzed to quantify particle trapping. DEP trapping by the CNF mats was greater at all tested frequencies than that of the control of no applied field, and the greatest trapping was observed at a frequency of 600kHz, where electrothermal flow is more significantly weakened than DEP. Theoretical analysis and measured impedance spectra indicate that this result was due to a combination of the frequency dependence of DEP and capacitive behavior of the well-based device.

CoSe2 nanocrystals embedded in one-dimensional mesoporous carbon nanofibers as advanced anode for potassium-ion storage

High-performance potassium-ion batteries have received great attention for electrochemical energy storage owing to their low redox potential, abundant natural resources and excellent safety. As an advanced negative material, CoSe2 has been widely investigated for potassium-ion batteries. Unfortunately, the pure CoSe2 anode suffers from the fast capacity decay and sluggish kinetics, preventing its practical application. Herein, we introduce a novel strategy to fabricate the CoSe2 nanoparticles embedded in one-dimensional mesoporous carbon nanofibers (denoted as 1D-CoSe2@CNFs) with superior high-rate property and good cycle stability for the first time. In this designed material, the conductive carbon nanofibers are loaded with CoSe2 particles. The obtained 1D-CoSe2@CNFs anode shows a specific capacity of 706.3 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g and presents a high capacity retention ratio of around 96.3 % at 5 A/g over 400 cycles. Therefore, this fabricated 1D-CoSe2@CNFs nanocomposite can be employed as a novel negative electrode for potassium-ion storage.

Pt and Mo2C nanoparticles embedded in hollow carbon nanofibers as an effective electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline electrolytes

Efficient catalysts for water electrolysis are essential for the advancement of hydrogen energy, aiding in carbon neutrality. Herein, a novel Pt and Mo2C embedded in hollow carbon nanofibers (referred to as Pt/Mo2C-HCNFs) electrocatalyst is devised and manufactured by coaxial electrostatic spinning and subsequent carbonization process in this work. Molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) and Pt share similar electronic structures, Mo2C is thought to be a possible alternative to Pt in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The synergistic interaction between Pt nanoparticles (NPs) and Mo2C NPs, the abundance of active sites, the hollow structure, the exceptional conductivity of carbon nanofibers, and the suppression of nanoparticle agglomeration by carbon nanofibers jointly make Pt/Mo2C-HCNFs exhibit excellent HER performances in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes. At a current density of 10 mA cm−2, the overpotentials of Pt/Mo2C-HCNFs in acidic and alkaline electrolytes are respectively 27 and 41 mV, demonstrating superior HER performance compared to commercial 20 wt% Pt/C. Electrocatalytic mechanisms are reasonably advanced. The formative mechanisms of the Pt/Mo2C-HCNFs are proposed, and corresponding technology is founded. This work offers a novel approach for synthesizing simple, efficient, and cost-effective Pt-based electrocatalysts.

Bridging dielectric-magnetic synergistic units with MOFs on fibers structure for high-efficient microwave absorption at low filler loading

Metal-organic framework (MOF) capable of magnetic-dielectric synergy loss mechanisms shine in the field of electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption, whereas their high filler loading in the matrix remains a challenge and limit their practical application. Here, we mono-disperse bimetallic CoZn-MOF on conductive carbon nanofibers precursor via electrospinning technique and a following heat-treatment was employed to construct a Co–ZnO@NC carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites. The Co–ZnO particles with a size of 2 μm are evenly distributed within the carbon fibers, forming a unique structure resembling a “pearl necklace”. The introduction of one-dimension (1D) CNF can prolong the electron transport path and effectively reduces the percolation threshold of the composites. The composites are endowed with abundant heterogeneous interfaces, excellent magnetic-dielectric synergy and improved impedance matching, benefiting from which the obtained Co–ZnO@NC CNF composites demonstrate a maximum reflection loss (RLmin) of −54.5 dB at a thickness of 2.3 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 8.12 GHz at a filler loading of merely 10 %. This study provides a feasible strategy for the design of MOF-derived absorbers with enhanced microwave absorption capacity at low filler loading.

Encapsulating Sb/MoS2 Into Carbon Nanofibers Via Electrospinning Towards Enhanced Sodium Storage

AbstractMetallic antimony (Sb) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) are identified as promising anode materials for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their high theoretical capacities. Herein, both Sb and MoS2 are integrated and fully embedded into carbon nanofibers (CNFs) to form Sb/MoS2@CNFs nanocomposite via an electrospinning technique followed by heat treatment. When employed as anode material for SIBs, the Sb/MoS2@CNFs electrode presents a reversible capacity of 282.7 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 1 A g−1, and even 197.5 mAh g−1 after 1350 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g−1. The superior sodium storage performance of the Sb/MoS2@CNFs can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of the integrated Sb/MoS2 components and their full encapsulation into the one‐dimensional (1D) conductive carbon nanofibers. The well‐dispersed Sb/MoS2 nanoparticles ensure good Na+ ions accessibility and high storage capacity, while 1D nanostructure facilitates ion/electron transport, tolerates the volume expansion, and prevents the Sb/MoS2 nanoparticles from aggregating during cycling. This work provides a simple and efficient synthetic route of multicomponent anode materials in advanced SIBs.

Advancing Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: 3D Bioprinting of GelMA-Based Cell-Laden Electroactive Bioinks for Nerve Conduits.

Peripheral nerve injuries often result in substantial impairment of the neurostimulatory organs. While the autograft is still largely used as the "gold standard" clinical treatment option, nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) are currently considered a promising approach for promoting peripheral nerve regeneration. While several attempts have been made to construct NGCs using various biomaterial combinations, a comprehensive exploration of the process science associated with three-dimensional (3D) extrusion printing of NGCs with clinically relevant sizes (length: 20 mm; diameter: 2-8 mm), while focusing on tunable buildability using electroactive biomaterial inks, remains unexplored. In addressing this gap, we present here the results of the viscoelastic properties of a range of a multifunctional gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA)/carbon nanofiber (CNF)/gellan gum (GG) hydrogel bioink formulations and printability assessment using experiments and quantitative models. Our results clearly established the positive impact of the gellan gum on the enhancement of the rheological properties. Interestingly, the strategic incorporation of PEGDA as a secondary cross-linker led to a remarkable enhancement in the strength and modulus by 3 and 8-fold, respectively. Moreover, conductive CNF addition resulted in a 4-fold improvement in measured electrical conductivity. The use of four-component electroactive biomaterial ink allowed us to obtain high neural cell viability in 3D bioprinted constructs. While the conventionally cast scaffolds can support the differentiation of neuro-2a cells, the most important result has been the excellent cell viability of neural cells in 3D encapsulated structures. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the potential of 3D bioprinting and multimodal biophysical cues in developing functional yet critical-sized nerve conduits for peripheral nerve tissue regeneration.

The role of electrical current mode in calcium carbonate deposition on conductive carbon nanofiber–epoxy coating

AbstractCalcium carbonate is one of the most common scaling minerals. In this paper we have used different electrical current modes (direct current [DC], pulsed DC, and alternating current [AC]) to control the amount, morphology, and distribution of calcium carbonate deposit on electroconductive epoxy/carbon nanofiber (CNF) coating. The effect of different current modes on surface scaling was visualized using scanning electron microscopy. It has been shown that both AC and DC anodic polarization limited scale deposition on epoxy/CNF coated surfaces, although the mechanisms of scale inhibition during AC and DC polarization were different. DC polarization of the coating at +2 V resulted in the smallest scale buildup without leading to coating degradation, while DC polarization at potentials as high as +5 V caused the coating to degrade. Interestingly, application of pulsed DC with high pulse frequency (50 Hz) inhibited the degradation. The type of current applied affected also the morphology of the precipitate at the cathode. The results presented in this work show, for the first time, how different modes of electrical current applied to electroconductive composite coatings can be used to control the morphology and distribution of calcium carbonate scale, and how the organic coating degradation at high polarization potentials can be avoided.

Hydrothermal growth of FeMoO4 nanosheets on electrospun carbon nanofibers as freestanding supercapacitor electrodes

In this study, an electrospinning method was used to produce highly conductive freestanding carbon nanofibers (CNFs). The freestanding CNFs are compatible with hierarchical growth techniques, such as hydrothermal processes, for the nanostructure engineering of supercapacitor electrodes with enhanced electrochemically active sites. Therefore, the flower-like FeMoO4@CNF nanosheets were investigated to improve the electrochemical performance using aqueous and neutral electrolytes (Na2SO4 and K2SO4). The optimized FeMoO4@CNF electrode exhibits areal capacitances of 252 and 220 mF·cm−2 at a high current density of 2.5 mA·cm−2 with Na2SO4 and K2SO4 electrolytes, respectively. The wide potential window (1.6 V) of the symmetric supercapacitor delivered maximum energy densities of 22.4 and 19.6 μWh·cm−2 at a power density of 2 mW·cm−2 for Na2SO4 and K2SO4 electrolytes, respectively.

New discovery on the role of graphene nanoplates in enhancing the structural and electrical properties of carbon nanofibers

In this study, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were successfully manufactured from special polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) copolymer/graphene nanoplates (GNPs) via an electrospinning process after that stabilization and carbonization approaches. The carbonization stage for stabilized SPAN/GNPs nanofibers was applied by heating the samples to 900 °C under an N2 inert atmosphere. The relationship of the GNPs concentration with morphological and structural properties of SPAN/GNPs composite nanofibers has been examined. The fineness and crystallinity of composite nanofiber increase with increasing concentration of GNPs from 0 to 4 wt%. With increasing the GNPs concentration in the SPAN/GNPs solutions from 0 to 4 wt%, the average diameter of nanofibers decreased from 480 ± 78 nm to 174 ± 18 nm. All CNFs samples synthesized at 900 °C have acceptable morphological, structural, and electrical properties. Moreover, the microstructure of the SCNFs can be controlled with GNPs concentration in composite nanofibers. The electrical conductivity of CNFs attained from neat nanofibers is 0.25 × 10+4 S/m, which is increased to 1.37 × 10+4 S/m with 4 wt% GNPs. Therefore, the unique 2D structure of GNPs is very suitable for the development of low-cost and conductive CNFs with low temperatures of carbonization.

Mixed-metal Ionothermal Synthesis of Metallophthalocyanine Covalent Organic Frameworks for CO2 Capture and Conversion.

Phthalocyanines (PCs) are intriguing building blocks owing to their stability, physicochemical and catalytic properties. Although PC-based polymers have been reported before, many suffer from relatively low stability, crystallinity, and low surface areas. Utilizing a mixed-metal salt ionothermal approach, we report the synthesis of a series of metallophthalocyanine-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) starting from 1,2,4,5-tetracyanobenzene and 2,3,6,7-tetracyanoanthracene to form the corresponding COFs named M-pPPCs and M-anPPCs, respectively. The obtained COFs followed the Irving-Williams series in their metal contents, surface areas, and pore volume and featured excellent CO2 uptake capacities up to 7.6 mmol g-1 at 273 K, 1.1 bar. We also investigated the growth of the Co-pPPC and Co-anPPC on a highly conductive carbon nanofiber and demonstrated their high catalytic activity in the electrochemical CO2 reduction, which showed Faradaic efficiencies towards CO up to 74 % at -0.64 V vs. RHE.

Mixed‐metal Ionothermal Synthesis of Metallophthalocyanine Covalent Organic Frameworks for CO2 Capture and Conversion

AbstractPhthalocyanines (PCs) are intriguing building blocks owing to their stability, physicochemical and catalytic properties. Although PC‐based polymers have been reported before, many suffer from relatively low stability, crystallinity, and low surface areas. Utilizing a mixed‐metal salt ionothermal approach, we report the synthesis of a series of metallophthalocyanine‐based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) starting from 1,2,4,5‐tetracyanobenzene and 2,3,6,7‐tetracyanoanthracene to form the corresponding COFs named M‐pPPCs and M‐anPPCs, respectively. The obtained COFs followed the Irving–Williams series in their metal contents, surface areas, and pore volume and featured excellent CO2 uptake capacities up to 7.6 mmol g−1 at 273 K, 1.1 bar. We also investigated the growth of the Co‐pPPC and Co‐anPPC on a highly conductive carbon nanofiber and demonstrated their high catalytic activity in the electrochemical CO2 reduction, which showed Faradaic efficiencies towards CO up to 74 % at −0.64 V vs. RHE.

In-situ constructing pearl necklace-shaped heterostructure: Zn2+ substituted Na3V2(PO4)3 attached on carbon nano fibers with high performance for half and full Na ion cells

Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) emerges as prospective cathode for sodium ion batteries. However, the poor electronic and ionic conductivity hinders its development. Traditional synthesis methods only allow ex-situ bonding between the NVP grains and carbon-based substrate, leading to unstable combination. Herein, a simultaneous modification strategy to optimize the morphological features and crystal construction of NVP system is proposed. The in-situ synthesized framework consisting of NVP and high conductive carbon nano fibers (CNFs) can efficiently elevate the electrochemical performance. A distinctive pearl necklace-shaped heterostructure is successfully constructed by electrospinning and carbon-thermal reduction routes. The necklace substrate is derived from the CNFs, possessing the unique unidimensional morphology and bridging well with each other to build a high conductive network. The Zn2+-substituted NVP grains with nano size are grown on the surface of the substrate. The shortened size provides short pathway for Na+ migration, resulting in the improved kinetic characteristics. Furthermore, the substitution of Zn2+ generates p-type doping to introduce favorable hole carriers, enhancing the ionic conductivity. The reduced band gap and migration energy barrier of Na+ for Zn2+ doped NVP is demonstrated by DFT calculations. Accordingly, the modified Zn0.07-ES-800 sample releases a high capacity of 117.5 mA h g−1 at 0.1C. It delivers a capacity of 92.3 mA h g−1 at 100C and maintains 72.7 mA h g−1 after 1000 cycles. Moreover, the Zn0.07-ES-800//Zn0.07-ES-800 full cell shows a high capacity of 94.4 mA h g−1 at 0.1C and keeps 80 mA h g−1 at 1C with a high retention of 95% after 70 cycles.

Multifunctional carbon nanofiber-reinforced Ge25Sb10S65 chalcogenide glassy composites

Carbon nanomaterials have wide applications in sensors, batteries, electromagnetic shielding, and mechanical reinforcement. Here, carbon nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced Ge25Sb10S65 chalcogenide glassy composites with excellent mechanical and electrical properties were obtained. These glassy composites maintained the amorphous properties of glass. Thermodynamic parameters, microscopic morphology, and structural characteristics were further studied. Benefiting from the remarkable high strength and conductivity of CNFs, as well as the great interface connection between CNFs and glass, the electrical and mechanical properties of glassy composites were greatly enhanced. The Vickers hardness improved by 36% (from 200 kg/mm2 to 272 kg/mm2), the tensile modulus increased from 45.9 GPa to 57 GPa, and the shear modulus increased from 22.2 GPa to 23.7 GPa when the CNF concentration increased from 0 wt% to 3.0 wt%. Furthermore, DC conductivity was raised by several orders of magnitude compared with bulk glass at 293 K (from 4.55 × 10−10 S/cm to 3.15 × 10−4 S/cm) owing to the formation of a continuous conductive network. Thus, these CNF-reinforced glassy composites provide a new way for realizing multifunctional composites.

Defect-engineered Sulfur Vacancy Modified NiCo2 S4-x Nanosheet Anchoring Polysulfide for Improved Lithium Sulfur Batteries.

The low conductivity of sulfur and the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) are the two intrinsic obstacles that limit the application of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Herein, a sulfur vacancy introduced NiCo2 S4 nanosheet array grown on carbon nanofiber (CNF) membrane (NiCo2 S4-x /CNF) is proposed to serve as a self-supporting and binder-free interlayer in LSBs. The conductive CNF skeleton with a non-woven structure can effectively reduce the resistance of the cathode and accommodate volume expansion during charge-discharge process. The bonding between CNF matrix and NiCo2 S4 nanosheet is enhanced by in situ growth, ensuring fast electron transfer. Besides, the sulfur vacancies in NiCo2 S4 enhance the chemisorption of LiPSs, and the highly active sites at vacancies can accelerate the LiPSs conversion kinetics. LSB paired with NiCo2 S4-x /CNF interlayer achieved improved stability in 500 cycles at 0.2 C and long life of 3000 cycles at 3 C. More importantly, a high areal capacity of 9.69 mAh cm-2 is achieved with a sulfur loading of 10.8mg cm-2 and a low electrolyte to sulfur (E/S) ratio of 4.8. This work provides insight into the sulfur vacancy in catalysis design for LiPSs conversion and demonstrates a promising direction for electronic defect engineering in material design for LSBs.

Integrated host configuration of flexibly fibrous skeleton towards efficient polysulfide conversion and dendrite-free behavior in stable lithium-sulfur pouch cells

The commercialization of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is obstructed by the sluggish sulfur electrochemical reaction, severe polysulfide shuttling effect, and damaging dendritic lithium growth. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) conductive carbon nanofibers skeleton-based bifunctional electrode host material is fabricated, which consists of a two-dimensional (2D) ultra-thin NiSe2-CoSe2 heterostructured nanosheet built on one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanofibers (NiSe2-CoSe2@CNF). When serving as cathodic host, the heterostructured NiSe2-CoSe2@CNF offers a synergistic function of polysulfide confinement and catalysis conversion. The S/NiSe2-CoSe2@CNF cathode shows outstanding cycling stability of 0.03% capacity decay rate per cycle over 500 cycles at 1 C. As anodic host, the NiSe2-CoSe2@CNF with high-flux Li+ diffusion property and good lithiophilic capability realizes dendrite-free Li plating/stripping behavior. Benefiting from these synergistically merits, the Li-S full cell with S/NiSe2-CoSe2@CNF|Li/NiSe2-CoSe2@CNF electrodes exhibits excellent electrochemical performance including a high specific capacity of 1021 mA h g−1 over 100 cycles at 0.2 C and reversible areal capacity of 3.05 mA h cm−2 under a high sulfur loading of 4.33 mg cm−2 at 0.1 C. The pouch cell also delivers ultra-stable Li/S electrochemistry. This study demonstrates a rational and universal electrode construction strategy for developing practical and high-energy Li-S batteries.

Mo2 N-ZrO2 Heterostructure Engineering in Freestanding Carbon Nanofibers for Upgrading Cycling Stability and Energy Efficiency of Li-CO2 Batteries.

Li-CO2 batteries have attracted considerable attention for their advantages of CO2 fixation and high energy density. However, the sluggish dynamics of CO2 reduction/evolution reactions restrict the practical application of Li-CO2 batteries. Herein, a dual-functional Mo2 N-ZrO2 heterostructure engineering in conductive freestanding carbon nanofibers (Mo2 N-ZrO2 @NCNF) is reported. The integration of Mo2 N-ZrO2 heterostructure in porous carbons provides the opportunity to simultaneously accelerate electron transport, boost CO2 conversion, and stabilize intermediate discharge product Li2 C2 O4 . Benefiting from the synchronous advantages, the Mo2 N-ZrO2 @NCNF catalyst endows the Li-CO2 batteries with excellent cycle stability, good rate capability, and high energy efficiency even under high current densities. The designed cathodes exhibit an ultrahigh energy efficiency of 89.8% and a low charging voltage below 3.3V with a potential gap of 0.32V. Remarkably, stable operation over 400 cycles can be achieved even at high current densities of 50 µA cm-2 . This work provides valuable guidance for developing multifunctional heterostructured catalysts to upgrade longevity and energy efficiency of Li-CO2 batteries.

Simultaneous realization of high sulfur utilization and lithium dendrite-free via dual-effect kinetic regulation strategy toward lithium-sulfur batteries

With the high theoretical specific capacity and energy density, lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) have been intensively studied as promising candidates for energy storage devices. However, LSBs are largely hindered by inferior sulfur utilization and uncontrollable dendritic growth. Herein, a hierarchical functionalization strategy of stepwise catalytic-adsorption-conversion for sulfur species via the synergetic of the efficiently catalytic host cathode and light multifunctional interlayer has been proposed to concurrently address the issues arising on the dual sides of the LSBs. The multi-layer SnS2 micro-flowers embedded into the natural three-dimensional (3D) interconnected carbonized bacterial cellulose (CBC) nanofibers are fabricated as the sulfur host that provides numerous catalytic sites for the rapid catalytic conversion of sulfur species. Moreover, the distinctive CBC-based SnO2–SnS2 heterostructure network accompanied high conductive carbon nanofibers as the multifunctional interlayer promotes the rapid anchoring-diffusion-conversion of lithium polysulfides, Li+ flux redistribution, and uniform Li deposition. LSBs equipped with our strategy exhibit a high reversible capacity of 1361.5 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C and superior cycling stability with an ultra-low capacity fading of 0.031% per cycle in 1000 cycles at 1.5 C and 0.046% at 3 C. A favorable specific capacity of 859.5 mA h g−1 at 0.3 C is achieved with a high sulfur mass loading of 5.2 mg cm−2, highlighting the potential of practical application. The rational design in this work can provide a feasible solution for high-performance LSBs and promote the development of advanced energy storage devices.

Prussian blue analog derived CoP nanoparticles decorated on electrospun carbon nanofibers for efficient hydrogen evolution

Prussian blue analog (PBA) and its derivatives have been widely used as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, their large-scale application is limited by their low conductivity and easy aggregation. In this work, we have successfully decorated well-dispersed PBA-derived CoP nanoparticles on conductive electrospun carbon nanofibers through consecutive assembly, carbonization and phosphorization processes. The introduction of carbon nanofibers improves the conductivity of the catalyst and accelerates the electron transport. The unique nanostructure further optimizes the electrocatalytic performance of the CoP nanoparticles. As a result, the obtained electrocatalyst exhibited excellent HER performance with an overpotential of only 85 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH, and showed outstanding stability due to the protection of the carbon shell. Our work could be a guidance for the developing of advanced PBA-based electrocatalysts.