title: Metallic Cobalt Encapsulated in Bamboo-Like and Nitrogen-Rich Carbonitride Nanotubes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.
abstract: Despite being technically possible, the hydrogen production by means of electrocatalytic water splitting is still practically unreachable mainly because of the lack of inexpensive and high active catalysts. Herein, a novel and facile approach by melamine polymerization, exfoliation and Co(2+)-assisted thermal annealing is developed to fabricate Co nanoparticles embedded in bamboo-like and nitrogen-rich carbonitride nanotubes (Co@NCN). The electronic interaction between the embedded Co nanoparticles and N-rich carbonitride nanotubes could strongly promote the HER performance. The optimized Co@NCN-800 exhibits outstanding HER activity with an onset potential of -89 mV (vs RHE), a large exchange current density of 62.2 μA cm(-2), and small Tafel slope of 82 mV dec(-1), as well as excellent stability (5000 cycles) in acid media, demonstrating the potential for the replacement of Pt-based catalysts. Control experiments reveal that the superior performance should be ascribed to the synergistic effects between embedded Co nanoparticles and N-rich carbonitride nanotubes, which originate from the high pyridinic N content, fast charge transfer rate from Co particles to electrodes via electronic coupling, and porous and bamboo-like carbonitride nanotubes for more active sites in HER.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Zhanzhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Yangde
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Mengzhao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.|Sichuan Tianyi Science & Technology Co. Ltd. , Chengdu 610225, China.
authors.forename: Kangli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Haixia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Hongying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum , Changping, Beijing 102249, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: carbonitride nanotubes; cobalt embedment; hydrogen evolution reaction; nitrogen-rich doping; synergistic effects