Optimizing the reaction pathway of nitride electrode by co-doping strategy for boosting alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction kinetics

Nitride modification is focused on boosting reaction kinetics by optimizing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) pathway of nitrides. This study adopted a creative co-doping strategy of using a P-anion and a Ce-cation to construct a P,Ce-FeNi 3 N/nickel foam (NF) electrode. At an overpotential of 200 mV, the well-designed P,Ce-FeNi 3 N/NF electrode showed a current density of 340 mA cm −2 , which was twice that of the commercial Pt/C@NF electrode (174 mA cm −2 ). Theoretical calculations revealed that unlike the single Ni active site in FeNi 3 N/NF, P,Ce-FeNi 3 N/NF possessed two active sites Ni and P. As a result, reaction kinetics during the alkaline HER process was considerably optimized. Furthermore, the assembled NiFeCe-layered double hydroxides/NF‖P,Ce-FeNi 3 N/NF cell only needed a voltage of 1.537 V to achieve a high current density of 500 mA cm −2 . Overall, this study provides a new strategy for achieving superior electrocatalytic performance of nitrides by optimizing and improving reaction kinetics.