Electrodeposited Ternary Fe-Mo-P as an Efficient Electrode Material for Bifunctional Water Splitting in Neutral pH

Designing novel and cost-effective material for electrochemical water splitting in neutral pH are highly essential for the hydrogen production and useful fuel cell construction. Synthesis of the bifunctional and earth-abundant efficient catalyst systems for the same remains one of the biggest challenges to the science community. Herein, we report the electrodeposition of ternary Fe-Mo-P onto the surface of carbon cloth material to form a stable and highly active bifunctional catalyst towards electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at pH 7. A set of catalysts were prepared by varying the relative atomic ratio of the elements and the best catalytic activity was observed with 60 atomic % Fe in the electroplating bath which rivals that of Pt/C in the overall electrochemical water splitting. The best catalyst also shows 24-h stability in the overall electrochemical splitting of water which indicates the potential of this class of materials. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].