Elemental diversity-enhanced HER and OER photoelectrochemical catalytic performance in FeCo-AuNP/nitrogen-carbon composite catalysts

Highlights: • The efficiency of AuNP-carbon-based catalysts is enhanced with elemental diversity. • The doping elements Fe, Co and N affect the electronic structure of the active site. • Adjusting the electronic structure is a key factor of the rate determining step. • Electron-transfer bring enhanced internal electric fields which enhance HER and OER. High-performance electrochemical or photoelectrochemical catalysts are greatly desired in energy preservation and matter conversion, and so their design and preparation has attracted significant attention. Studies attempting to unveil the general principles for high catalytic performance are especially appealing. Herein, we investigate the mechanism from a componential perspective, with the aim of elucidating the relationship between (photo)electrochemical catalytic performance and elemental diversity. The results indicate that the HER and OER electrochemical and photoelectrochemical catalytic capacities are enhanced with an increase in the diversity of elements. Favorable electronic structures and strengthened internal electric fields are important factors for the observed improvements in performance. This work will provide new insights into the design and synthesis of high-performance electrochemical and photochemical catalysts via reductive deposition, chemical vapor doping, or electrochemical deposition, for the formation of nanostructures possessing multiple elements.