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Nanoporous Graphene with Single‐Atom Nickel Dopants: An Efficient and Stable Catalyst for Electrochemical Hydrogen Production |
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| Authors: | Dr H‐J Qiu Dr Yoshikazu Ito Weitao Cong Dr Yongwen Tan Dr Pan Liu Dr Akihiko Hirata Dr Takeshi Fujita Prof Zheng Tang Prof Mingwei Chen |
| Institution: | 1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China);2. WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980‐8577 (Japan);3. State Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices, Ministry of Education of China, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241 (China);4. CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama 332‐0012 (Japan) |
| Abstract: | Single‐atom nickel dopants anchored to three‐dimensional nanoporous graphene can be used as catalysts of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic solutions. In contrast to conventional nickel‐based catalysts and graphene, this material shows superior HER catalysis with a low overpotential of approximately 50 mV and a Tafel slope of 45 mV dec?1 in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution, together with excellent cycling stability. Experimental and theoretical investigations suggest that the unusual catalytic performance of this catalyst is due to sp–d orbital charge transfer between the Ni dopants and the surrounding carbon atoms. The resultant local structure with empty C–Ni hybrid orbitals is catalytically active and electrochemically stable. |
| Keywords: | electrocatalysis graphene hydrogen evolution reaction nanoporosity nickel doping |