Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Nickel Phosphide Nanomaterials

Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution harnesses electricity to split water, yielding molecular hydrogen at the cathode. Nickel phosphide nanomaterials have emerged as leading non-precious catalysts for this hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) because they combine earth-abundant elements with robust electronic conductivity and tunable surface chemistry. At the nanoscale, nickel phosphides (including Ni₂P, Ni₁₂P₅ and other stoichiometries) present a high density of active sites at nickel–phosphorus interfaces, where moderate hydrogen‐binding energies facilitate rapid proton reduction. Synthetic strategies such as hydrothermal decomposition, thermal annealing of electrodeposited precursors, solvothermal routes and controlled phosphidation allow precise control over phase composition, particle size and morphological features. Doping with secondary metals or non-metals further adjusts the electronic structure, reducing overpotentials and improving long-term stability in both acidic and alkaline media. Recent advances have demonstrated overpotentials below 100 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and Tafel slopes approaching the benchmark of platinum. The practical appeal of nickel phosphide catalysts lies in their resistance to corrosion, scalability of production and potential integration into industrial electrolyser architectures. As global demand for green hydrogen intensifies, nickel phosphide nanocatalysts stand out for their ability to decarbonise hydrogen supply chains and to underpin sustainable energy storage solutions.

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Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with Nickel Phosphide Nanomaterials publication trend

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Technical terms

Electrocatalysis: Acceleration of an electrochemical reaction at an electrode surface by a catalyst.

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER): The electrochemical process in which protons are reduced to form molecular hydrogen.

Overpotential: The extra potential beyond the thermodynamic requirement needed to drive an electrochemical reaction at a given current.

Tafel slope: A parameter describing how the overpotential changes with the logarithm of current density; a lower slope indicates faster kinetics.

Doping: The intentional introduction of foreign atoms into a material to modify its electronic and catalytic properties.

References

1. Engineering nickel phosphides for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution: A doping perspective. Chemical Engineering Journal (2023).
2. Nickel phosphide: the effect of phosphorus content on hydrogen evolution activity and corrosion resistance in acidic medium. Journal of Materials Chemistry A (2014).
3. Widely available active sites on Ni 2 P for electrochemical hydrogen evolution – insights from first principles calculations. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (2015).
4. Nickel Phosphide Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction. Catalysts (2020).
5. Hydrothermal synthesis method of nickel phosphide nanoparticles. Applied Nanoscience (2012).
6. Nickel Phosphides Fabricated through a Codeposition–Annealing Technique as Low-Cost Electrocatalytic Layers for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction. ACS Applied Energy Materials (2020).
7. Controlled Synthesis of Transition Metal Phosphide Nanoparticles to Establish Composition-Dependent Trends in Electrocatalytic Activity. Chemistry of Materials (2022).