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Electrochemical surface engineering of Co3Ni3S8 for ultralow overpotential hydrogen evolution

Author

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  • Arora, Arushi
  • Kumari, Sushma
  • Khan, Nausad
  • Wadhwa, Ritika
  • Jha, Menaka

Abstract

The escalating global energy demand, coupled with environmental concerns, necessitates the development of clean and sustainable hydrogen production methods. Electrochemical water splitting via the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) offers a promising pathway, yet the reliance on costly and scarce noble metal catalysts remains a major limitation. Here, we report a novel electrochemical surface engineering strategy wherein trace platinum (Pt0) is in situ electrografted from the counter electrode onto a ternary cobalt-nickel sulfide (Co3Ni3S8) during HER cycling, drastically enhancing its catalytic activity. The Co3Ni3S8, derived from a Co-Ni layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursor, forms uniform cubic-phase nanoparticles (∼30 nm), as confirmed by PXRD and TEM. This self-activated, Pt-modified Co3Ni3S8 exhibits ultra-low overpotential (31 mV @10 mA cm−2), comparable to commercial Pt/C (28 mV). XPS, TEM-EDAX, and ICP-MS analyses confirm trace-level Pt incorporation (240 ppb) as the origin of the exceptional activity. This work introduces a facile and scalable route to achieve Pt-like HER performance using negligible noble metal content, offering a promising direction for sustainable hydrogen.

Suggested Citation

  • Arora, Arushi & Kumari, Sushma & Khan, Nausad & Wadhwa, Ritika & Jha, Menaka, 2026. "Electrochemical surface engineering of Co3Ni3S8 for ultralow overpotential hydrogen evolution," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:268:y:2026:i:c:s096014812600621x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2026.125795
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