Synthesis of ternary NiCoP nanowire alloy and its enhanced electrochemical catalytic activity

Rational nanostructure designs and forming alloys are the efficient ways to optimize the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) efficiency of noble-metal-free catalysts. In this paper, we report the synthesis of one dimensional ternary NiCoP nanowire alloy by using an electrospinning method followed by a phosphorization process. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the morphology. The structure and composition of the as-synthesized samples were verified by x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray mapping and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The unique one dimensional morphology increased the contact area between the catalyst and the electrolyte, which made more active sites are exposed. Compared with pure Ni2P nanowires and CoP nanowires, ternary NiCoP nanowire alloy showed an enhanced HER efficiency (the Tafel slope was 82 mV/decade, and the overpotential at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 was 380 mV). It may be a potential substitute for noble metal catalysts in the future.