Abstract
Despite being technically possible, splitting water to generate hydrogen is still practically unfeasible due mainly to the lack of sustainable and efficient catalysts for the half reactions involved. Herein we report the synthesis of cobalt-embedded nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes (NRCNTs) that 1) can efficiently electrocatalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with activities close to that of Pt and 2) function well under acidic, neutral or basic media alike, allowing them to be coupled with the best available oxygen-evolving catalysts - which also play crucial roles in the overall water-splitting reaction. The materials are synthesized by a simple, easily scalable synthetic route involving thermal treatment of Co2+-embedded graphitic carbon nitride derived from inexpensive starting materials (dicyandiamide and CoCl2). The materials' efficient catalytic activity is mainly attributed to their nitrogen dopants and concomitant structural defects. The water-splitting reaction still remains far from being practically feasible because of the unavailability of effective catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). A simple synthetic route gives to nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes that electrocatalyze HER with activities close to that of Pt, and function well under acidic, neutral, or basic media allowing them to be coupled with the best oxygen-evolving catalysts available.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4372-4376 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Angewandte Chemie - International Edition |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 17 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 22 2014 |
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Keywords
- carbon nanotubes
- cobalt nanoparticles
- electrocatalysis
- hydrogen evolution reaction
- water splitting
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Catalysis
Cite this
Cobalt-embedded nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes efficiently catalyze hydrogen evolution reaction at all pH values. / Zou, Xiaoxin; Huang, Xiaoxi; Goswami, Anandarup; Silva, Rafael; Sathe, Bhaskar R.; Mikmeková, Eliška; Asefa, Teddy.
In: Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, Vol. 53, No. 17, 22.04.2014, p. 4372-4376.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Cobalt-embedded nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes efficiently catalyze hydrogen evolution reaction at all pH values
AU - Zou, Xiaoxin
AU - Huang, Xiaoxi
AU - Goswami, Anandarup
AU - Silva, Rafael
AU - Sathe, Bhaskar R.
AU - Mikmeková, Eliška
AU - Asefa, Teddy
PY - 2014/4/22
Y1 - 2014/4/22
N2 - Despite being technically possible, splitting water to generate hydrogen is still practically unfeasible due mainly to the lack of sustainable and efficient catalysts for the half reactions involved. Herein we report the synthesis of cobalt-embedded nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes (NRCNTs) that 1) can efficiently electrocatalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with activities close to that of Pt and 2) function well under acidic, neutral or basic media alike, allowing them to be coupled with the best available oxygen-evolving catalysts - which also play crucial roles in the overall water-splitting reaction. The materials are synthesized by a simple, easily scalable synthetic route involving thermal treatment of Co2+-embedded graphitic carbon nitride derived from inexpensive starting materials (dicyandiamide and CoCl2). The materials' efficient catalytic activity is mainly attributed to their nitrogen dopants and concomitant structural defects. The water-splitting reaction still remains far from being practically feasible because of the unavailability of effective catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). A simple synthetic route gives to nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes that electrocatalyze HER with activities close to that of Pt, and function well under acidic, neutral, or basic media allowing them to be coupled with the best oxygen-evolving catalysts available.
AB - Despite being technically possible, splitting water to generate hydrogen is still practically unfeasible due mainly to the lack of sustainable and efficient catalysts for the half reactions involved. Herein we report the synthesis of cobalt-embedded nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes (NRCNTs) that 1) can efficiently electrocatalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with activities close to that of Pt and 2) function well under acidic, neutral or basic media alike, allowing them to be coupled with the best available oxygen-evolving catalysts - which also play crucial roles in the overall water-splitting reaction. The materials are synthesized by a simple, easily scalable synthetic route involving thermal treatment of Co2+-embedded graphitic carbon nitride derived from inexpensive starting materials (dicyandiamide and CoCl2). The materials' efficient catalytic activity is mainly attributed to their nitrogen dopants and concomitant structural defects. The water-splitting reaction still remains far from being practically feasible because of the unavailability of effective catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). A simple synthetic route gives to nitrogen-rich carbon nanotubes that electrocatalyze HER with activities close to that of Pt, and function well under acidic, neutral, or basic media allowing them to be coupled with the best oxygen-evolving catalysts available.
KW - carbon nanotubes
KW - cobalt nanoparticles
KW - electrocatalysis
KW - hydrogen evolution reaction
KW - water splitting
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84898937056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84898937056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/anie.201311111
DO - 10.1002/anie.201311111
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84898937056
VL - 53
SP - 4372
EP - 4376
JO - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
JF - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
SN - 1433-7851
IS - 17
ER -