Ni3S2@Ni5P4 nanosheets as highly productive catalyst for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Abstract The development of cheap and effective catalysts is one of the major challenges to boost up electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this study, we synthesized phosphorus incorporated nickel sulfide (Ni3S2@Ni5P4/NF) composite via a simple one-step hydrothermal treatment for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction in basic media. The newly synthesized Ni3S2@Ni5P4/NF composite catalyst shows a remarkable OER activity with an overpotential of 399 mV at a current density of 50 mA cm−2. Ni3S2@Ni5P4/NF also shows a Tafel slope of 75 mV dec-1 with long-term stability for more than 15 h in alkaline media. The enhanced electrocatalytic activity of current system is among best catalysts based on Nickle sulfides and nickel phosphides according to our knowledge. Current enhancement can be attributed to fast electron transfer due to synergistic effect of Ni3S2 and Ni5P4 in the composite.