氢能作为零碳排放能源是被公认的最清洁能源之一,如何有效可持续地产氢是未来人类步入氢能经济首先要解决的问题。电解水技术基于电化学分解水的原理,利用可再生电能或太阳能驱动水分解为氢气和氧气,被认为是最有前途和可持续性的产氢途径。然而,无论是光解水还是电解水,均需要高活性、高稳定性的非贵金属氢析出和氧析出催化剂以使水电解反应经济节能。本文介绍了我们研究所近三年在水电解方面的研究进展,其中着重介绍了:(i)氢析出催化剂,包括利用低温磷化过渡金属(氢)氧化物的方法制备过渡金属磷化物,同时过渡金属硫化物、硒化物以及碳化物等均被成功合成并被应用为有效的阴极析氢催化剂;(ii)氧析出催化剂,主要包括金属磷化物、硫化物、氧化物/氢氧化物等;(iii)双功能催化剂,主要包括过渡金属磷化物、硒化物、硫化物等。最后,总结展望了发展水电解非贵金属催化剂所面临的挑战与未来发展方向。
Because of its zero-carbon emission energy, hydrogen energy is considered the cleanest energy.The greatest challenge is to develop a cost-effective strategy for hydrogen generation. Water electrolysis driven by renewable resource-derived electricity and direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion are promising pathways for sustainable hydrogen production. All of these techniques require highly active noble metal-free hydrogen and oxygen evolution catalysts to make the water splitting process energy efficient and economical. In this review,we highlight recent research efforts toward synthesis and performance optimization of noble metal- free electrocatalysts in our institute over the last 3 years. We focus on(1) hydrogen evolution catalysts, including transition metal phosphide, sulfides, selenides, and carbides;(2) oxygen evolution catalysts, including transition metal phosphide, sulfide, and oxide/hydroxides; and(3) bifunctional catalysts, mainly comprising transition metal phosphides, selenides, sulfides, and so on. Finally, we summarize the challenges and prospective for future development of non-noble metal catalysts for water electrolysis.