Pyridinic-N doping carbon layers coupled with tensile strain of FeNi alloy for activating water and urea oxidation

Exploitation of oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and urea oxidation reaction(UOR)catalysts with high activity and stability at large current density is a major challenge for energy-saving H_(2) production in water electrolysis.Herein,we use the pyridinic-N doping carbon layers coupled with tensile strain of FeNi alloy activated by NiFe_(2)O_(4)(FeNi/NiFe_(2)O_(4)@NC)for efficiently increasing the performance of water and urea oxidation.Due to the tensile strain effect on FeNi/NiFe_(2)O_(4)@NC,it provides a favorable modulation on the electronic properties of the active center,thus enabling amazing OER(η_(100)=196 mV)and UOR(E_(10)=1.32 V)intrinsic activity.Besides,the carbon-coated layers can be used as armor to prevent FeNi alloy from being corroded by the electrolyte for enhancing the OER/UOR stability at large current density,showing high industrial practicability.This work thus provides a simple way to prepare high-efficiency catalyst for activating water and urea oxidation.

Microwave-assisted exploration of the electron configuration-dependent electrocatalytic urea oxidation activity of 2D porous NiCo_(2)O_(4) spinel

Urea holds promise as an alternative water-oxidation substrate in electrolytic cells.High-valence nickelbased spinel,especially after heteroatom doping,excels in urea oxidation reactions(UOR).However,traditional spinel synthesis methods with prolonged high-temperature reactions lack kinetic precision,hindering the balance between controlled doping and highly active two-dimensional(2D)porous structures design.This significantly impedes the identification of electron configuration-dependent active sites in doped 2D nickel-based spinels.Herein,we present a microwave shock method for the preparation of 2D porous NiCo_(2)O_(4)spinel.Utilizing the transient on-off property of microwave pulses for precise heteroatom doping and 2D porous structural design,non-metal doping(boron,phosphorus,and sulfur)with distinct extranuclear electron disparities serves as straightforward examples for investigation.Precise tuning of lattice parameter reveals the impact of covalent bond strength on NiCo_(2)O_(4)structural stability.The introduced defect levels induce unpaired d-electrons in transition metals,enhancing the adsorption of electron-donating amino groups in urea molecules.Simultaneously,Bode plots confirm the impact mechanism of rapid electron migration caused by reduced band gaps on UOR activity.The prepared phosphorus-doped 2D porous NiCo_(2)O_(4),with optimal electron configuration control,outperforms most reported spinels.This controlled modification strategy advances understanding theoretical structure-activity mechanisms of high-performance 2D spinels in UOR.

Engineering hierarchical quaternary superstructure of an integrated MOF-derived electrode for boosting urea electrooxidation assisted water electrolysis

Controllable design of the catalytic electrodes with hierarchical superstructures is expected to improve their electrochemical performance.Herein,a self-supported integrated electrode(NiCo-ZLDH/NF)with a unique hierarchical quaternary superstructure was fabricated through a self-sacrificing template strategy from the metal–organic framework(Co-ZIF-67)nanoplate arrays,which features an intriguing well-defined hierarchy when taking the unit cells of the NiCo-based layered double hydroxide(NiCo-LDH)as the primary structure,the ultrathin LDH nanoneedles as the secondary structure,the mesoscale hollow plates of the LDH nanoneedle arrays as the tertiary structure,and the macroscale three-dimensional frames of the plate arrays as the quaternary structure.Notably,the distinctive structure of NiCo-ZLDH/NF can not only accelerate both mass and charge transfer,but also expose plentiful accessible active sites with high intrinsic activity,endowing it with an excellent electrochemical performance for urea oxidation reaction(UOR).Specially,it only required the low potentials of 1.335,1.368 and 1.388 V to deliver the current densities of 10,100 and 200 mA cm^(-2),respectively,much superior to those for typical NiCo-LDH.Employing NiCo-ZLDH/NF as the bifunctional electrode for both anodic UOR and cathodic HER,an energy-saving electrolysis system was further explored which can greatly reduce the needed voltage of 213 mV to deliver the current density of 100 mA cm^(-2),as compared to the conventional water electrolysis system composed of OER.This work manifests that it is prospective to explore the hierarchically nanostructured electrodes and the innovative electrolytic technologies for high-efficiency electrocatalysis.

Elucidating the promotion mechanism of the ternary cooperative heterostructure toward industrial-level urea oxidation catalysis

From the perspective of electronic structure modulation,it is highly desirable to rationally design the active urea oxidation reaction(UOR)catalysts through interface engineering.The binary cooperative heterostructure systems have been shown significant enhancement for catalyzing UOR,but their performance still remains unsatisfactory for industrialization because of the unfavorable intermediate adsorption/desorption and deficient electron transfer channels.In response,taking the ternary cooperative Ni_5P_(4)/NiSe_(2)/Ni_(3)Se_(4) heterostructure as the proof-of-concept paradigm,a catalytic model is rationally put forward to elucidate the UOR promotion mechanism at the molecular level.The rod-like Ni_5P_(4)/NiSe_(2)/Ni_(3)Se_(4) nanoarrays with three-phase heterojunction are experimentally fabricated on Ni foam(named as Ni_5P_(4)/NiSe_(2)/Ni_(3)Se_(4)/NF)via simple two-step processes.The density functional theory calculations disclose that construction of Ni_5P_(4)/NiSe_(2)/Ni_(3)Se_(4) heterostructure model not only induce charge redistribution at the interfacial region for creating innumerable electron transfer channels,but also endow it with a moderate d-band center that could help to build a balance between adsorption and desorption of diverse UOR intermediates.Benefiting from the unique rod-like nanoarrays with large specific surface area and the optimized electronic structure,the well-designed Ni_5P_(4)/NiSe_(2)/Ni_(3)Se_(4)/NF could act as a robust catalyst for driving UOR at industrial-level current densities under tough environments,offering great potential for commercial applications.

Asymmetric configuration activating lattice oxygen via weakening d-p orbital hybridization for efficient C/N separation in urea overall electrolysis

Urea oxidation reaction(UOR)is proposed as an exemplary half-reaction in renewable energy applications because of its low thermodynamical potential.However,challenges persist due to sluggish reaction kinetics and complex by-products separation.To this end,we introduce the lattice oxygen oxidation mechanism(LOM),propelling a novel UOR route using a modified CoFe layered double hydroxide(LDH)catalyst termed CFRO-7.Theoretical calculations and in-situ characterizations highlight the activated lattice oxygen(O_(L))within CFRO-7 as pivotal sites for UOR,optimizing the reaction pathway and accelerating the kinetics.For the urea overall electrolysis application,the LOM route only requires a low voltage of 1.54 V to offer a high current of 100 mA cm^(-2) for long-term utilization(>48 h).Importantly,the by-product NCO^(-)−is significantly suppressed,while the CO_(2)2/N_(2) separation is efficiently achieved.This work proposed a pioneering paradigm,invoking the LOM pathway in urea electrolysis to expedite reaction dynamics and enhance product selectivity.

Atomically dispersed Ni electrocatalyst for superior urea-assisted water splitting

Urea oxidation reaction(UOR) has been selected as substitution for oxygen evolution reaction ascribing to its low thermodynamic voltage as well as utilization of nickel as electrocatalyst.Herein,we report the formation of nickel single atoms(Ni-SAs) as exceptional bifunctional electrocatalyst toward UOR and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) in urea-assisted water splitting.In UOR catalysis,Ni-SAs perform a superior catalytic performance than Ni-NP/NC and Pt/C ascribing to the formation of HOO-Ni-N_(4) structure evidenced by in-situ Raman spectroscopy,corresponding to a boosted mass activity by 175-fold at 1.4 V vs.RHE than Ni-NP/NC.Furthermore,Ni-SAs requires only 450 mV overpotential to obtain HER current density of 500 mA cm^(-2).136 mA cm^(-2) is achieved in urea-assisted water splitting at1.7 V for Ni-SAs,boosted by 5.7 times than Pt/C-IrO_(2) driven water splitting.

Nitrogen vacancies enriched Ce-doped Ni_(3)N hierarchical nanosheets triggering highly-efficient urea oxidation reaction in urea-assisted energy-saving electrolysis

Urea oxidation reaction (UOR),which has favorable thermodynamic energy barriers compared with oxygen evolution reaction (OER),can provide more cost-effective electrons for the renewable energy systems,but is trapped by its sluggish UOR kinetics and intricate reaction intermediates formation/desorption process.Herein,we report a novel and effective electrocatalyst consisting of carbon cloth supported nitrogen vacancies-enriched Ce-doped Ni_(3)N hierarchical nanosheets (Ce-Ni_(3)N @CC) to optimize the flat-footed UOR kinetics,especially the stiff rate-determine CO_(2)desorption step of UOR.Upon the introduction of valance state variable Ce,the resultant nitrogen vacancies enriched Ce-Ni_(3)N @CC exhibits an enhanced UOR performance where the operation voltage requires only 1.31 V to deliver the current density of 10 mA cm^(-2),which is superior to that of Ni_(3)N @CC catalyst (1.36 V) and other counterparts.Density functional theory (DFT) results demonstrate that the incorporation of Ce in Ni_(3)N lowers the formation energy of nitrogen vacancies,resulting in rich nitrogen vacancies in Ce-Ni_(3)N @CC.Moreover,the nitrogen vacancies together with Ce doping optimize the local charge distribution around Ni sites,and balance the adsorption energy of CO_(2)in the rate-determining step (RDS),as well as affect the initial adsorption structure of urea,leading to the superior UOR catalytic performance of Ce-Ni_(3)N @CC.When integrating the Ce-Ni_(3)N catalyst in UOR//HER and UOR//CO_(2)R flow electrolyzer,both of them perform well with low operation voltage and robust long-term stability,proofing that the thermodynamically favorable UOR can act as a suitable substitute anodic reaction compared with that of OER.Our findings here not only provide a novel UOR catalyst but also offer a promising design strategy for the future development of energy-related devices.

Dynamic active sites on plasma engraved Ni hydroxide for enhanced electro-catalytic urea oxidation

The urea oxidization reaction(UOR)is an important anodic reaction in electro-catalytic energy conversion.However,the sluggish reaction kinetics and complex catalyst transformation in electrocatalysis require activity improvement and better mechanistic understanding of the state-of-the-art Ni(OH)_(2) catalyst.Herein,by utilizing low-temperature argon(Ar)plasma processing,tooth-wheel Ni(OH)_(2) nanosheets self-supported on Ni foam(Ni(OH)_(2)-Ar)are demonstrated to have improved UOR activity compared to conventional Ni(OH)_(2).The theoretical assessment confirms that the edge has a smaller cation vacancy formation energy than the basal plane,consequently explaining the structural formation.Operando and quasi-operando methods are employed to investigate the dynamic evolution of the Ni(OH)_(2) film in UOR.The crucial dehydrogenation products of Ni(OH)_(5)O^(-)intermediates are identified to be stable on the etched edge and explain the enhanced UOR in the low potential region.In addition,the dynamic active sites are monitored to elucidate the reaction mechanism in different potential ranges.

Two-dimensional bimetallic coordination polymers as bifunctional evolved electrocatalysts for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction and urea oxidation reaction

Two-dimensional coordination polymers(CPs) have aroused tremendous interest as electrocatalysts because the catalytic performance could be fine-tuned by their well-designed coordination layers with highly accessible and active metal sites.However,it remains great challenge for CP-based catalysts to be utilized for electrocatalytic oxidation reactions due to their inefficient activities and low catalytic stabilities.Herein,we applied a mixed-metal strategy to fabricate two-dimensional Co_xNi_(1-x)-CPs with dual active sites for electrocatalytic water and urea oxidation.By metal ratio regulation in the twodimensional layer,an optimized Co_(2/3)Ni_(1/3)-CP exhibits a water oxidation performance with an overpotential of 325 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2) and a Tafel slope of 86 mV dec^(-1) in alkaline solution for oxygen evolution reaction.Importantly,a lower potential than that of commercial RuO_(2) is observed over20 mA cm^(-2).Co_(2/3)Ni_(1/3)-CP also displays a potential of 1.381 V at 10 mA cm^(-2) for urea oxidation reaction and a Tafel slope of 124 mV dec^(-1).This mixed-metal strategy to maximize synergistic effect of different metal centers may ultimately lead to promising electrocatalysts for small molecule oxidation reaction.

Hierarchically wood-derived integrated electrode with tunable superhydrophilic/superaerophobic surface for efficient urea electrolysis

Conferring surfaces with superhydrophilic/superaerophobic characteristics is desirable for synthesizing efficient gas reaction catalysts.However,complicated procedures,high costs,and poor interfaces hinder commercialization.Here,an integrated electrode with tunable wettability derived from a hierarchically porous wood scaffold was well designed for urea oxidation reaction(UOR).Interestingly,the outer surface of the wood lumen was optimized to the preferred wettability via stoichiometry to promote electrolyte permeation and gas escape.This catalyst exhibits outstanding activity and durability for UOR in alkaline media,requiring only a potential of 1.36 V(vs.RHE)to deliver 10 m A cm^(-2)and maintain its activity without significant decay for 60 h.These experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the nickel(oxy)hydroxide layer formed through surface reconstruction of nickel nanoparticles improves the active sites and intrinsic activity.Moreover,the superwetting properties of the electrode promote mass transfer by guaranteeing substantial contact with the electrolyte and accelerating the separation of gaseous products during electrocatalysis.These findings provide the understanding needed to manipulate the surface wettability through rational design and fabrication of efficient electrocatalysts for gas-evolving processes.

Urea electrooxidation-boosted hydrogen production on nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanorod-supported nickel phosphide nanoparticles

Urea electro-oxidation reaction(UEOR)-boosted water electrolysis can supplant the kinetics-restricted oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and provide an energy-saving method of hydrogen generation.However,low UEOR activity and the poisoning issue of the catalyst limit its practical application.Herein,a simple coordination reaction is used to synthesize the dimethylglyoxime-NiⅡcomplex(DMGNiⅡ),which efficiently serves as the initial precursor to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon nanorodsupported nickel phosphide nanoparticle(Ni_(2)P/N-C)nanocomposites.The density functional theory calculations and electrochemical results reveal that nitrogen doping can weaken the adsorption of hydrogen and the generated CO_(2)resulting in an enhancement of hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and UEOR activity.In addition,N-doping can also promote the generation of Ni,which can further promote the UEOR and HER performance.Concretely,the overpotential for the HER on Ni_(2)P/N-C-2h nanocomposites is only 201 m V at 10 mA cm,and the onset potential of the UEOR on NiP/NC-2h nanocomposites is only 1.34 V.Additionally,the Ni_(2)P/N-Cnanocomposites also show excellent long-term stability due to the introduction of nitrogen-doped carbon material.Consequently,the symmetric Ni_(2)P/N-C-2h||Ni_(2)P/N-C-2h urea electrolyzer requires 1.41 V of electrolysis voltage for urea electrolysis,which can be applied in energy-saving H_(2) production and environment purification.

Recent progress of two-dimensional metal-base catalysts in urea oxidation reaction

Urea oxidation reaction(UOR)is an auxiliary water electrolysis hydrogen production technology developed in recent years to replace oxygen evolution reaction and reduce energy consumption,which can produce hydrogen more efficiently by low theoretical potential,reduce the average cost of electrochemical hydrogen production,and is a frontier research hotspot for renewable hydrogen energy.Two-dimensional(2D)nanomaterials as electrocatalysts have many favorable potential,such as it can effectively reduce the resistivity of materials and increase the specific surface area with certainty.This paper reviews the application of 2D materials in UOR in alkaline electrolytes.And a cross-sectional comparison of various material performance data including overpotential,Tafel slope,electrochemical active surface area(ECSA)and it stability test was conducted,which could illustrate the differences between materials composed of different elements.In addition,the main challenges hindering the progress of research on 2D materials in urea electrocatalysis processes and promising materials in this field in future are summarized and prospected.It is believed that this review will contribute to designing and analyzing highperformance 2D urea electrocatalysts for water splitting.

Crystalline-amorphous interfaces of NiO-CrO_(x)electrocatalysts for boosting the urea oxidation reaction

The overall energy efficiency of electrochemical systems is severely hindered by the traditional anodic oxygen evolution reaction(OER).Utilizing urea oxidation reaction(UOR)with lower thermodynamic potential to replace OER provides a promising strategy to enhance the energy efficiency.Amorphous and heterojunctions electrocatalysts have been aroused extensive studies owing to their unique physicochemical properties and outperformed activity.Herein,we report a simple method to construct a novel crystalline-amorphous NiO-CrO_(x)heterojunction grown on Ni foam for UOR electrocatalyst.The NiO-CrO_(x)electrocatalyst displays excellent UOR performance with an ultralow working potential of 1.32 V at 10 mA·cm^(−2)and ultra-long stability about 5 days even at 100 mA·cm^(−2).In-situ Raman analysis and temperature-programmed desorption(TPD)measurement verify that the presence of the amorphous CrO_(x)phase can boost the reconstruction from NiO to active NiOOH species and enhance adsorption ability of urea molecule.Besides,the unique crystalline-amorphous interfaces are also benefit to improving the UOR performance.

Interface engineering of NiSe_(2) nanowrinkles/Ni_(5)P_(4)nanorods for boosting urea oxidation reaction at large current densities

Deliberate modulation of the electronic structure via interface engineering is one of promising perspectives to build advanced catalysts for urea oxidation reaction(UOR)at high current densities.However,it still remains some challenges originating from the intrinsically sluggish UOR dynamics and the high energy barrier for urea adsorption.In response,we report the coupled NiSe_(2)nanowrinkles with Ni_(5)P_(4)nanorods heterogeneous structure onto Ni foam(denoted as NiSe_(2)@Ni_(5)P_(4)/NF)through successive phosphorization and selenization strategy,in which the produced closely contacted interface could provide high-flux electron transfer pathways.Theoretical findings decipher that the fast charge transfer takes place at the interfacial region from Ni_(5)P_(4)to NiSe_(2),which is conducive to optimizing adsorption energy of urea molecules.As expected,the well-designed NiSe_(2)@Ni_(5)P_(4)/NF only requires the low potential of 1.402 V at the current density of 500 mA·cm^(-2).More importantly,a small Tafel slope of 27.6 mV·dec^(-1),a high turnover frequency(TOF)value of 1.037 s^(-1)as well as the prolonged stability of 950 h at the current density of 100 mA·cm^(-2)are also achieved.This study enriches the understanding on the electronic structure modulation via interface engineering and offers bright prospect to design advanced UOR catalysts.

H_(2)O_(2) treatment boosts activity of NiFe layered double hydroxide for electro-catalytic oxidation of urea

Urea oxidation reaction(UOR)provides a method for hydrogen production besides wastewater treatment,but the current limited catalytic activity has prevented the application.Herein,we develop a novel H_(2)O_(2) treatment strategy for tailoring the surface oxygen ligand of NiFe-layered double hydroxides(NiFe-LDH).The sample after H_(2)O_(2) treatment(NiFeOLDH)shows significant enhancement on UOR efficiency,with the potential of 1.37 V(RHE)to reach a current density of 10 mA/cm^(2).The boost is attributed to the richness adsorption O ligand on NiFeO-LDH as revealed by XPS and Raman analysis.DFT calculation indicates formation of two possible types of oxygen ligands:adsorbed oxygen on the surface and exposed from hydroxyl group,lowered the desorption energy of CO_(2) product,which lead to the lowered onset potential.This strategy is further extended to NiFe-LDH nano sheet on Ni foam to reach a higher current density of 440 mA/cm^(2) of UOR at 1.8 V(RHE).The facile surface O ligand manipulation is also expected to give chance to many other electro-catalytic oxidations.

One-step architecture of bifunctional petal-like oxygen-deficient NiAl-LDHs nanosheets for high-performance hybrid supercapacitors and urea oxidation

Nickel-based layered double hydroxides(LDHs)are promising electrode materials in the fields of energy storage(supercapacitors)and conversion(urea oxidation).The rational construction of atomic and electronic structure is crucial for nickel-based LDHs to realize their satisfactory electrochemical performance.Herein,we report a facile,ecofriendly,one-step synthesis process to construct petal-like oxygen-deficient NiAl-LDH nanosheets for hybrid supercapacitors(HSCs)and urea oxidation reaction(UOR).The asprepared NiAl-LDH nanosheets with rich oxygen vacancies possess a large specific surface area of 216.6 m2 g^(-1) and a desirable electronic conductivity of 3.45×10^(–4)S cm^(-1) to deliver an ultra-high specific capacitance of 2801 F g^(-1)(700 C g^(-1))at 1 A g^(-1).Furthermore,high specific energy of 50.0 W h kg^(-1) at 400 W kg^(-1) and excellent cycle stability with 91%capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles are achieved by the NiAl-LDHs/CFP(carbon fiber paper)(+)//YP-80F(a commercial activated carbon)(–)HSC.Besides,NiAl-LDH nanosheets also work as an efficient electrocatalyst for UOR,which only requires 1.42 V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode to drive 10 mA cm^(–2) in 1 mol L^(-1) KOH with 0.33 mol L^(-1) urea.This remarkable performance is superior to most reported values of previous candidates owing to the thin structure of NiAl-LDH nanosheets for exposing more active sites and abundant oxygen vacancies.In addition,various reaction parameters are investigated to optimize the electrochemical performance.In general,this work paves a new way for the architecture of multifunctional nanostructured energy materials.

In-situ assembly of 2D/3D porous nickel cobalt sulfide solid solution as superior pre-catalysts to boost multi-functional electrocatalytic oxidation

In this work,we fabricated an efficient pre-catalyst based on(Ni,Co)S2solid solution with hierarchical architecture and high porosity to boost urea oxidation reaction and electrocatalytic oxidation of organic small molecules.The interaction between Ni and Co can optimize the electronic structure,resulting in the improved conductivity and accelerated charge transfer rate.The 2D/3D architecture can enrich more active species and endow the mass and electron transport to facilitate the surface oxidation and the following catalytic process.Post-structure and catalytic characterizations confirm the surface oxidation of(Ni,Co)S_(2)during the stability test,and the in-situ formed Co(Ni)based(oxy)hydroxides exhibit superior catalytic activity and facilitated charge transfer ability.As a result,the optimal(Ni,Co)S_(2)solid solution pre-catalyst displays facilitated catalytic behavior and good stability for multifunctional electrocatalytic oxidation,in which a high conversion of benzyl alcohol(97.50%),a good selectivity to benzoic acid(93.78%)and a satisfied faraday efficiency(91.86%)can be achieved.

Nested hollow architectures of nitrogen-doped carbon-decorated Fe,Co,Ni-based phosphides for boosting water and urea electrolysis

Tailoring the nanostructure/morphology and chemical composition is important to regulate the electronic configuration of electrocatalysts and thus enhance their performance for water and urea electrolysis.Herein,the nitrogen-doped carbon-decorated tricomponent metal phosphides of FeP4 nanotube@Ni-Co-P nanocage(NC-FNCP)with unique nested hollow architectures are fabricated by a self-sacrifice template strategy.Benefiting from the multi-component synergy,the modification of nitrogen-doped carbon,and the modulation of nested porous hollow morphology,NC-FNCP facilitates rapid electron/mass transport in water and urea electrolysis.NC-FNCP-based anode shows low potentials of 248 mV and 1.37 V(vs.reversible hydrogen electrode)to attain 10 mA/cm^(2) for oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and urea oxidation reaction(UOR),respectively.In addition,the overall urea electrolysis drives 10 mA/cm^(2) at a comparatively low voltage of 1.52 V(vs.RHE)that is 110 mV lower than that of overall water electrolysis,as well as exhibits excellent stability over 20 h.This work strategizes a multi-shell-structured electrocatalyst with multi-compositions and explores its applications in a sustainable combination of hydrogen production and sewage remediation.

Controllable Ni/NiO interface engineering on N-doped carbon spheres for boosted alkaline water-to-hydrogen conversion by urea electrolysis

Interface engineering has gradually attracted substantial research interest in constructing active bifunctional catalysts toward urea electrolysis.The fundamental understanding of the crystallinity transition of the components on both sides of the interface is extremely significant for realizing controllable construction of catalysts through interface engineering,but it still remains a challenge.Herein,the Ni/NiO heterogenous nanoparticles are successfully fabricated on the porous N-doped carbon spheres by a facile hydrothermal and subsequent pyrolysis strategy.And for the first time we show the experimental observation that the Ni/NiO interface can be fine-tuned via simply tailoring the heating rate during pyrolysis process,in which the crystalline/amorphous or crystalline/crystalline Ni/NiO heterostructure is deliberately constructed on the porous N-doped carbon spheres(named as CA-Ni/NiO@NCS or CC-Ni/NiO@NCS,respectively).By taking advantage of the unique porous architecture and the synergistic effect between crystalline Ni and amorphous NiO,the well-designed CA-Ni/NiO@NCS displays more remarkable urea oxidation reaction(UOR)and hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)activity than its crystalline/crystalline counterpart of CC-Ni/NiO@NCS.Particularly,the whole assembled two-electrode electrolytic cell using the elaborate CANi/NiO@NCS both as the anode and cathode can realize the current density of 10 mA·cm^(−2)at a super low voltage of 1.475 V(264 mV less than that of pure water electrolysis),as well as remarkable prolonged stability over 63 h.Besides,the H_(2)evolution driven by an AA battery and a commercial solar cell is also studied to enlighten practical applications for the future.

Lanthanum-dopedα-Ni(OH)_(2)1D-2D-3D hierarchical nanostructures for robust bifunctional electro-oxidation

The development of advanced electrocatalysts for electro-oxidation reactions has attracted much attention because of the critical role of such electrocatalysts in improving the overall efficiency of coupled hydrogen production.We have developed an efficient lanthanum-dopedα-Ni(OH)_(2) bifunctional catalyst with a 1D-2D-3D hierarchical nanostructure.It shows superior activity and stability in the anodic oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and urea oxidation reaction(UOR).Enrichment of the edge sites and conducting La doping inα-Ni(OH)_(2) phase enable formation and stabilization of abundant local Ni^(3+)ions.This guarantees ultralow onset potentials in electro-oxidation reactions.The 1D-2D-3D hierarchical nanostructure significantly boosts the in situ generation of high-valence active species,which results in efficient and stable OER and UOR performances,and the synergistic merit of doping-induced facile reaction kinetics.Because of the structural benefits of a large surface area,charge-transfer promotion,good structural stability,and bifunctionality,a 1%La-dopedα-Ni(OH)_(2) hierarchical nanostructure gives superior OER and UOR performances with low overpotentials,large catalytic current densities,and excellent operational stability.It is therefore a promising catalyst for use in simultaneous alkaline wastewater treatment and hydrogen production.