Bifunctional water splitting catalysts and associated methods

Abstract

A catalyst, including a conductive substrate coated with a metal-phosphorus-derived film, where the metal is Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, or Copper. In some embodiments, the conductive substrate includes copper, titanium, glassy carbon, fluorine-doped tin oxide, indium-doped tin oxide, tin, nickel, or stainless steel. Methods for producing the catalysts and for hydrogen evolution reactions and oxygen evolution reactions employing the catalysts are also described herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catalyst, comprising a conductive substrate coated with a metal-phosphorus-derived film, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, and Copper. 
     
     
         2 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, glassy carbon, fluorine-doped tin oxide, indium-doped tin oxide, tin, nickel, and stainless steel. 
     
     
         3 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the metal-phosphorus-derived film is electrodeposited. 
     
     
         4 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the metal-phosphorus-derived film comprises a cobalt-phosphorous-derived film. 
     
     
         5 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of copper foil, nickel, and stainless steel. 
     
     
         6 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the metal-phosphorus-derived film has a phosphorus concentration of greater than 0 to about 50%. 
     
     
         7 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the metal-phosphorus-derived film has a phosphorus concentration of from about 5% to about 50%. 
     
     
         8 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the metal-phosphorus-derived film has a phosphorus concentration of from about 5% to about 20%. 
     
     
         9 . The catalyst of  claim 1 , wherein the metal-phosphorus-derived film has a phosphorus concentration of about 10%. 
     
     
         10 . A method of producing hydrogen gas or oxygen gas, the method comprising:
 providing a electrolysis solution, the electrolysis solution comprising water and an electrolyte;   inserting the catalyst of  claim 1  into the electrolysis solution;   running an electric current through the catalyst.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising identifying and quantifying the hydrogen gas or oxygen gas. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising collecting the hydrogen gas. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising collecting the oxygen gas. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the catalyst comprises a cobalt-phosphorous-derived film on a conductive substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the conductive substrate comprises copper foil. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the electrolysis solution comprises an alkaline electrolyte. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the electrolysis solutions is selected from the group consisting of KOH and NaOH. 
     
     
         18 . A method of producing a catalyst, the method comprising:
 providing a working electrode and a counter electrode, the working electrode and counter electrode each comprising a conductive substrate;   electrodepositing on the working electrode a metal-phosphorus-derived film, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, and Copper.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein electrodepositing comprises:
 submersing the working electrode and the counter electrode in a deposition solution comprising a metal source that comprises Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, or Copper and a phosphorus source, and   cycling a current through the working electrode and counter electrode.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the metal source comprises CoSO 4  and   the phosphorus source comprises NaH 2 PO 2 .