Synergistic F/Mo Codoping in Ni2P for Microenvironment Engineering in Urea Oxidation: Pathway Regulation and Selectivity Enhancement

The lower thermodynamic potential of the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) makes it an ideal alternative to the conventional oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, most Ni-based UOR catalysts face intrinsic limitations due to the high oxidation potential of Ni3+, coupled with insufficient selectivity. Herein, F/Mo codoped Ni-based catalyst F-MoNiP is obtained with an amorphous nanotube structure. The F/Mo codoped strategy enhances UOR activity by facilitating the formation of catalytically active NiOOH species at low overpotential and simultaneously promotes urea decomposition through the environmentally preferred carbonate pathway. Moreover, the presence of F effectively suppresses the OH– adsorption, thereby minimizing the competition with OER. This synergistic optimization enables F-MoNiP to achieve exceptional catalytic performance, operating at a cell voltage of 1.395 V to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm–2 in urea-assisted electrolysis of water. These findings offer a sustainable and energy-efficient route for hydrogen production through urea electrolysis.