Pyrite-type CoS₂ nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped graphene for enhanced water splitting

It is extremely meaningful to develop cheap, highly efficient, and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) to promote large-scale application of water splitting technology. Herein, we reported the preparation of CoS₂ nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped graphene (CoS₂@N-GN) by one-step hydrothermal method and the enhanced electrochemical efficacy for catalyzing hydrogen and oxygen in water electrolysis. The CoS₂@N-GN composites are composed of nitrogen-doped graphene and CoS₂ nanocrystals with the average size of 73.5 nm. Benefitting from the improved electronic transfer and synergistic effect, the as-prepared CoS₂@N-GN exhibits remarkable OER and HER performance in 1.0M KOH, with overpotentials of 243mV for OER and 204mV for HER at 10mA cm⁻², and the corresponding Tafel slopes of 51.8 and 108mV dec⁻¹, respectively. Otherwise, the CoS₂@N-GN hybrid also presents superior long-term catalytic durability. Moreover, an alkaline water splitting device assembled by CoS₂@N-GN as both anode and cathode can achieve a low cell voltage of 1.53 V at 60◦C with a high faraday efficiency of 100% for overall water splitting. The tremendously enhanced electrochemical behaviors arise from favorable factors including small sized, homogenously dispersed novel CoS₂ nanocrystals and coupling interaction with the underlying conductive nitrogen-doped graphene, which would provide insight into the rational design of transition metal chalcogenides for highly efficient and durable hydrogen and oxygen-involved electrocatalysis.