Synergistically coupling of ultrathin Ni3N layer with Ti3C2Tx-MXene nanosheets for efficient benzyl alcohol oxidation reactions and hydrogen production

The coupling of electrocatalytic benzyl alcohol (Ph-CH2OH) oxidation with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has emerged as a promising approach to increase the overall efficiency of hydrogen production. However, designing bifunctional electrocatalysts with both high activity and selectivity remains a significant challenge. In this study, we introduce a new strategy for constructing ultrathin Ni3N nanosheets coupled with MXene using a cyanogel synthetic approach. Benefiting from the abundant catalytic sites in ultrathin Ni3N nanosheets, and the unique hydrophilicity and high conductivity of MXene, the MXene/Ni3N electrode demonstrates exceptional electrocatalytic Ph-CH2OH oxidation activity, achieving a 97.6 % selectivity towards benzoic acid (Ph-COOH) and a remarkable 95.6 % faradaic efficiency (FE). Notably, in weakly alkaline electrolytes, MXene/Ni3N nanocomposites can selectively produce benzaldehyde (Ph-CHO). Moreover, the MXene/Ni3N nanocomposites also show excellent catalytic activity for HER, exhibiting a low overpotential of 147 mV at 10 mA cm−2. This work presents a viable strategy for developing advanced, dual-function electrocatalysts.