Evaluating the Stability of CoP Electrocatalysts in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction for Both Acidic and Alkaline Electrolytes

Overview

Journal ACS Energy Lett

Publisher American Chemical Society

Date 2018 Jun 19

PMID 29911183

Citations 25

Authors

Yue Zhang

Lu Gao

Emiel J M Hensen

Jan P Hofmann

Affiliations

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Abstract

The evaluation of the stability of emerging earth-abundant metal phosphide electrocatalysts by solely electrochemical current-potential sweeps is often not conclusive. In this study, we investigated CoP to evaluate its stability under both acidic (0.5 M HSO) and alkaline (1.0 M KOH) hydrogen evolution (HER) conditions. We found that the electrochemical surface area (ECSA) of CoP only slightly increased in acidic conditions but almost doubled after electrolysis in alkaline electrolyte. The surface composition of the electrode remained almost unchanged in acid but was significantly altered in alkaline during current-potential sweeps. Analysis of the electrolytes after the stability test shows almost stoichiometric composition of Co and P in acid, but a preferential dissolution of P over Co could be observed in alkaline electrolyte. Applying comprehensive postcatalysis analysis of both the electrode and electrolyte, we conclude that CoP, prepared by thermal phosphidization, dissolves stoichiometrically in acid and degrades to hydroxides under alkaline stability testing.

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