BN Promoted Heterojunction Ni─Fe─P/BN Electrocatalyst with Excellent Performance of Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

In this research, we have successfully synthesized a Ni─Fe─P/h-BN catalyst through a simple one-step electrodeposition method for efficient water splitting in a KOH electrolytic cell. Our prepared Ni─Fe─P/h-BN catalyst showcased exceptional electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), with an overpotential of only 210 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻². Notably, this value is significantly lower compared to 248 mV observed for Ni─Fe─P/Fe without h-BN and also superior to the results reported for other catalysts. Furthermore, through the ball milling, we further enhanced the OER performance of the catalyst, achieving an impressive overpotential of 200 mV at the same density of 10 mA cm⁻². The exceptional OER performance displayed by the Ni─Fe─P/h-BN composite is attributable to the synergistic effects of Ni─Fe─P and h-BN. Furthermore, the introduction of a heterojunction between h-BN and Ni─Fe─P serves to further enhance the OER capability of the catalyst. This investigation introduces a straightforward and effective approach for fabricating cost-effective and high-performance electrocatalysts intended for water electrolysis.