Solvothermal synthesis of iron phosphides and their application for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

In this paper, we present a solvothermal synthesis of iron phosphide electrocatalysts using a triphenylphosphine (TPP) precursor. The synthetic protocol generates Fe2P phase at 300 °C and FeP phase at 350 °C. To enhance the catalytic activities of obtained iron phosphide particles heat-treatments were carried out at elevated temperatures. Annealing at 500 °C under reductive atmosphere induced structural changes in the samples: (i) Fe2P provided a pure Fe3P phase (Fe3P−500 °C) and (ii) FeP transformed into a mixture of iron phosphide phases (Fe2P/FeP−500 °C). Pure Fe2P films was prepared under argon atmosphere at 450 °C (Fe2P−450 °C). The electrocatalytic activities of heat-treated Fe2P−450 °C, Fe3P−500 °C, and Fe2P/FeP−500 °C catalysts were studied for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 0.5 M H2SO4. The HER activities of the iron phosphide catalyst were found to be phase dependent. The lowest electrode potential of 110 mV vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) at 10 mA cm−2 was achieved with Fe2P/FeP−500 °C catalyst.