Preparation of Palladium-Doped Nickel Phosphide Nanoparticles as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Hydrogen production through electrochemical water splitting has gained significant attention owing to its environmental benefits over traditional methods. However, designing an efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an alkaline electrolyte remains a significant challenge. In this study, colloidal Pd-doped Ni2P nanoparticles were prepared via a thermal decomposition-based strategy and used as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction. The Pd dopant is atomically dispersed within the Ni2P nanoparticles, regulating their electronic structure and providing an efficient active site for hydrogen production. The Pd-doped Ni2P nanoparticles exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performance with an overpotential of 77 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in an alkaline electrolyte and a small Tafel slope of 46 mV dec−1.