CDs Regulated Sulfur-Based Flexible Electrode with Range pH Values for Efficient and Durable Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

How to mildly structure a high intrinsic activity and stable catalytic electrode to realize long-term catalytic water splitting to produce hydrogen at a wide range of pH values at industrial high current is a challenge. Herein, this work creatively proposes to prepare industrial-grade catalytic electrodes with high efficiency and stability at high current density through carbon quantum dots (CDs) modification nickel sulfide on hydrophilic flexible filter paper via one-step mild chemical plating (denoted as CDs-Ni 3 S 2 @HFP). The intrinsic activity and surface area, electron transfer ability, and corrosion resistance of Ni 3 S 2 material are increased due to the regulation, homogenous, and high concentration doping of CDs. The overpotential of the flexible catalytic electrode is only 30, 35, and 87 mV in 1 m KOH, simulated seawater (1 m KOH + 0.5 m NaCl), and neutral electrolyte (0.5 m PBS) at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 . More attractively, the CDs-Ni 3 S 2 @HFP electrode achieves over 500 h of efficient and stable catalysis at industrial high current density (500 mA cm −2 ). Due to the advantages of mild, universal, and large-area preparation of catalytic materials, this work provides technical support for flexible catalytic electrodes in efficient catalysis toward water splitting, energy storage, and device preparation.