Ni3S2 particle–embedded nanotubes as a high-performance electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

Hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) and oxygen evolution reactions (OERs) are crucial for renewable energy production. Developing stable, cost-effective, and highly catalytic HER and OER electrocatalysts is paramount. In this study, a combination of hydrothermal synthesis and annealing was used to fabricate nickel sulfide (Ni 3 S 2 ) particle–embedded nanotubes supported on nickel (Ni) foam (Ni 3 S 2 PN/NF). The Ni 3 S 2 PN/NF structures featured a highly branched morphology with a large specific surface area, surpassing that of conventional Ni metal nanotubes. This design increased the number of reactive sites and enhanced the charge-transfer process. The Ni foam substrate expanded the contact area of Ni 3 S 2 , thereby improving conductivity and facilitating the adsorption/desorption of intermediates on the Ni 3 S 2 surface. Density functional theory calculations showed that the electronic structure of Ni 3 S 2 provides excellent conductivity. Moreover, the multi-branched structure and inherent conductivity of the NiS nanomaterials enhanced the Ni 3 S 2 PN/NF performance in 1M KOH, with overpotentials of 87 and 210 mV with iR compensation at 10 mA cm −2 for the HER and OER, respectively. The synthesized Ni 3 S 2 PN/NF also exhibited robust durability for 20 h. These results demonstrate that Ni 3 S 2 PN/NF is an excellent catalyst for both HER and OER.