Microwave synthesis of Ni₅P₄ nanosheets for efficient overall water splitting

Electrocatalytic water splitting is crucial for H₂ production, which faces challenges with expensive and scarce noble metal catalysts. There is a persistent need for affordable, efficient electrodes facilitating both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This study introduces a facile microwave synthesis method for nickel phosphide nanosheets (Ni₅P₄ NSs). These NSs demonstrate low overpotentials 110 mV for HER, 235 mV for OER at 10 mA cm⁻² in 1 M KOH. Additionally, they show excellent overpotential 1.44 V at 10 mA cm⁻² and remarkable durability for overall water splitting in the same conditions. This research highlights Ni₅P₄ NSs as promising bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting, offering a cost-effective and efficient alternative to noble metal catalysts in energy storage and conversion applications.