Construction of Co2P nanoparticles anchored on hollow N-doped porous carbon nanoleaf for high-efficiency water splitting

Developing low-cost and robust bifunctional transition metal phosphide (TMPs)-based catalysts with controlled structures and compositions is very important for overall water splitting (OWS). Herein, we report a new hollow leaf-like Co2P/N-doped porous carbon (Co2P-NC) composite, using the Co-doped zeolitic imidazolate framework nanoleaf (Co-ZIF-L) coated with polydopamine (PDA) layer as precursor and phytic acid as etchant and phosphorus source. Due to the etching and coordination reaction between phytic acid and leaf-like Co-ZIF-L, the hollow structure is formed after an one-set pyrolysis process. Within this as-prepared TMP/carbon composite, Co2P nanoparticles are encapsulated and dispersed in two-dimensional (2D) hollow leaf-like N-doped porous carbon. Benefiting from structural and componential advantages, the Co2P-NC exhibits high catalytic activity and durability for both HER and OER as well as OWS in the alkaline medium. Unlike the traditional gas–solid reaction method for preparing TMPs, the present synthetic strategy is more safe and simple, which is very feasible for designing hollow TMPs/porous carbon composites.