Cu-Doped CoP Nanorod Arrays: Efficient and Durable Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalysts at All pH Values

We report a simple method for preparation of self-supported nanoporous Cu-doped CoP nanorod arrays on carbon cloth (Cu-CoP NRAs/CC) by a hydrothermal and low-temperature phosphidation process, which demonstrates enhanced catalytic performance over a wide pH range. This Cu-CoP NRAs/CC electrode shows a good HER performance with an overpotential of 44 mV to achieve current density of 10 mA cm^–2 in 0.5 M H₂SO₄. To get the same current density, it requires overpotentials of 81 mV in 1.0 M KOH and 137 mV in 1.0 M PBS, respectively. It also maintains a stable catalytic activity under different pH condition for 40 h. Such superior HER performance could be attributed to the strong heteroatomic interactions prompted lots of lattice distortions and defects, further provided many effective reactive sites on the nanorods. Such Cu-CoP NRAs/CC provides us highly efficient materials for water-splitting devices in industrial hydrogen production