MOF-Derived Bifunctional Cu3P Nanoparticles Coated by a N,P-Codoped Carbon Shell for Hydrogen Evolution and Oxygen Reduction

Abstract

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as a type of uniformly and periodically atom-distributed precursor and efficient self-sacrificial template to fabricate hierarchical porous-carbon-related nanostructured functional materials. For the first time, a Cu-based MOF, i.e., Cu-NPMOF is used, whose linkers contain nitrogen and phosphorus heteroatoms, as a single precursor and template to prepare novel Cu₃P nanoparticles (NPs) coated by a N,P-codoped carbon shell that is extended to a hierarchical porous carbon matrix with identical uniform N and P doping (termed Cu₃P@NPPC) as an electrocatalyst. Cu₃P@NPPC demonstrates outstanding activity for both the hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction reaction, representing the first example of a Cu₃P-based bifunctional catalyst for energy-conversion reactions. The high performances are ascribed to the high specific surface area, the synergistic effects of the Cu₃P NPs with intrinsic activity, the protection of the carbon shell, and the hierarchical porous carbon matrix doped by multiheteroatoms. This strategy of using a diverse MOF as a structural and compositional material to create a new multifunctional composite/hybrid may expand the opportunities to explore highly efficient and robust non-noble-metal catalysts for energy-conversion reactions.

Cu₃P nanoparticles coated by a N,P-codoped carbon shell (hierarchical porous carbon matrix) are prepared using a novel Cu-based metal–organic framework (MOF) containing dual linkers as a template and single precursor. The Cu₃P@NPPC catalyst demonstrates a high specific surface area and affords remarkable bifunctional electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction with long-term durability for both reactions.

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