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Biomimetic three-dimensional multilevel nanoarray electrodes with superaerophobicity as efficient bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting

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Abstract

The design and preparation of cost-effective and durable catalysts for electrochemical water splitting are significant for the development and application of hydrogen production. Herein, inspired by the underwater superaerophobicity of fish scales, a three-dimensional multilevel nanoarray electrode with superaerophobicity was designed and fabricated by the hydrothermal method to solve the bubble shielding effect in electrochemical reactions. Benefiting from the high specific surface area, superaerophobic properties, and Al do**, the Al−CoS2 nanosheets (NSs)/nickel foam (NF)-30 exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic activity and superior durability for electrochemical water splitting in 1 M KOH. Significantly, the Al−CoS2 NSs/NF-30 only required extremely low overpotential of 176 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to reach a current density of 10 mA·cm−2. Al−CoS2 NSs/NF-30 was employed as bifunctional electrode for electrochemical water splitting with a cell voltage of 1.58 V at 10 mA·cm−2. Meanwhile, Al-−CoS2 NSs/NF-30 exhibited excellent durability (250 h@10 mA·cm−2 and 50 h@100 mA·cm−2). The cobalt-based catalyst (Al−CoS2 NSs/NF-30) with superaerophobicity exhibits excellent performance in activity and durability, and therefore is a promising electrochemical water splitting catalyst.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51774028).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Bei**g, Bei**g, 100083, China

    Dongdong Wang, Yue Liu, Lili Liu, Dongfang Shan, Guixin Shen, Shanlong Peng, Heng Zhang & **ndong Wang

  2. Energy Storage Science and Engineering, School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Bei**g, Bei**g, 100083, China

    Dongdong Wang, Yue Liu, Lili Liu, Dongfang Shan, Guixin Shen, Shanlong Peng, Heng Zhang & **ndong Wang

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  1. Dongdong Wang
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  2. Yue Liu
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  3. Lili Liu
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  8. **ndong Wang
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Correspondence to Heng Zhang or **ndong Wang.

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Biomimetic three-dimensional multilevel nanoarray electrodes with superaerophobicity as efficient bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting

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Wang, D., Liu, Y., Liu, L. et al. Biomimetic three-dimensional multilevel nanoarray electrodes with superaerophobicity as efficient bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting. Nano Res. 16, 6584–6592 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-5373-4

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