Enhancing water splitting via weakening H_(2) and O_(2) adsorption on NiCo-LDH@CdS due to interstitial nitrogen doping: A close look at the mechanism of electron transfer

This paper is a report on the development of a convenient approach to fabricating a very efficient hybrid photoelectrocatalyst for water splitting.This photoelectrocatalyst consists of nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxide as the core,cadmium sulfide as the shell,and nitrogen,hence NiCo-LDH@CdS-N.For the electrocatalytic activity to be improved,the H_(2) and O_(2) binding energy needs to be weakened.The interstitial nitrogen doping on NiCo-LDH@CdS can increase electrocatalytic activity to a great extent.NiCoLDH@CdS nanoparticles are obtained by subjecting to nitriding the NiCo-LDH@CdS electrode coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone nanosheets.This electrode has a large specific surface area,allows fast transfer of electrons,and exhibits long-term stability.The experimental results presented in this paper reveal that interstitial nitrogen doping largely reduces H_(2) and O_(2) binding energy and lowers the activation barrier for the formation and splitting of water.