Free-Standing Carbon Nanofiber Films with Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoparticles as Cathodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in a Microbial Electrolysis Cell
High-performance and cost-efficient electrocatalysts and electrodes are needed to improve the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for the hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) generation in electrolysers, including microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). In this study, free-standing carbon nanofiber (CNF)...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/22/1849 |
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| Summary: | High-performance and cost-efficient electrocatalysts and electrodes are needed to improve the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for the hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) generation in electrolysers, including microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). In this study, free-standing carbon nanofiber (CNF) films with supported cobalt phosphide nanoparticles have been prepared by means of an up-scalable electrospinning process followed by a thermal treatment under controlled conditions. The produced cobalt phosphide-supported CNF films show to be nanoporous (pore volume up to 0.33 cm<sup>3</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>) with a high surface area (up to 502 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>−1</sup>) and with a suitable catalyst mass loading (up to 0.49 mg cm<sup>−2</sup>). Values of overpotential less than 140 mV at 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> have been reached for the HER in alkaline media (1 M KOH), which demonstrates a high activity. The high electrical conductivity together with the mechanical stability of the free-standing CNF films allowed their direct use as cathodes in a MEC reactor, resulting in an exceptionally low voltage operation (0.75 V) with a current density demand of 5.4 A m<sup>−2</sup>. This enabled the production of H<sub>2</sub> with an energy consumption below 30 kWh kg<sup>−1</sup> H<sub>2</sub>, which is highly efficient. |
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| ISSN: | 2079-4991 |