Au–Rh2P Mesoporous Nanotubes for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction and Hydrazine Oxidation Electrooxidation

The hybrid water electrolysis, consisting of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR), is an attractive route for energy-efficient hydrogen production, and the efficiency depends on the construction of highly active bifunctional catalysts. Here, one-dimensional heterointerfacial Au–Rh2P mesoporous nanotubes (Au–Rh2P MNTs) are synthesized using poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) and Ni nanowires as the dual template and NaH2PO2 as the phosphorus dopant. Thanks to highly active sites and a strong electronic effect, Au–Rh2P MNTs exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance for alkaline HzOR and HER, requiring only 16 and 26 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2, respectively. For hydrazine oxidation-assisted water electrolysis, Au–Rh2P MNTs require a low potential of 59 mV to produce hydrogen at 10 mA cm–2, highlighting low-energy hydrogen production by the replacement of oxygen evolution reaction by HzOR.