Construction of Co9S8-ReS2Ni3S2/NF catalyst and its electrocatalytic water splitting performance

Hydrogen energy, featuring high energy density and environmental friendliness, is a highly promising renewable clean energy carrier. Electrolytic water splitting for hydrogen production is effective for high-purity H 2 , with efficient and stable electrocatalysts being the key to efficiency optimization. Rhenium-based catalysts attract attention due to their unique electronic structure, high activity, and broad pH adaptability, but enhancing their hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance remains a challenge. This study reports a two-step hydrothermal method to in situ grow Co 9 S 8 -ReS 2 Ni 3 S 2 on nickel foam. Co incorporation induces “coral-like” nanostructures, increasing active surface area and suppressing agglomeration, while strong ReS 2 Co 9 S 8 interfacial coupling optimizes charge redistribution. The catalyst exhibits overpotentials of 89 mV (HER) and 268 mV (OER) at 10 mA cm -2 , achieves 10 mA cm -2 at 1.61 V for overall water splitting, and maintains stability for 100 h, providing new insights for high-performance electrocatalysts.