Sustainable synthesis of N,P-doped graphene cathodes for hydrogen production in glucose-assisted water electrolysis

Green hydrogen production demands efficient and environmentally compatible catalysts. This work introduces a sustainable route to tolerant N,P-doped graphene based-materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline glucose-containing electrolytes. The ultrasound-assisted synthesis combi...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Vidal Barreiro, Isabel, Sánchez Paredes, Paula, Romero Izquierdo, Amaya, Lucas Consuegra, Antonio de
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:ruidera_____::b5b191b78bccef757cc907d60f765691
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2026.155586
https://hdl.handle.net/10578/48677
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Glucose-assisted water electrolysis
Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)
Metal-free electrocatalyst
N,P-doped graphene
Non-faradaic glucose degradation
Descripción
Sumario:Green hydrogen production demands efficient and environmentally compatible catalysts. This work introduces a sustainable route to tolerant N,P-doped graphene based-materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline glucose-containing electrolytes. The ultrasound-assisted synthesis combines polyacrylonitrile pre-calcination with subsequent pyrolysis, systematically evaluating carbon source and synthesis medium effects on morphology, porosity, and heteroatom distribution. The optimized N,P-rGOW2 catalyst, derived from thermally reduced graphene oxide in aqueous medium, exhibited a defect-rich hierarchically framework with uniform N/P incorporation, enhancing charge-transfer properties. Consequently, the catalyst achieved an overpotential of – 0.483 V at 10 mA cm-2, further increased to – 0.366 V after electrochemical activation associated with Stone–Wales defect formation. Exceptional stability and tolerance in glucose-containing environments, driven by potential-induced localized alkaline boundary layer, highlighted its realistic potential for membrane-less electrolyzers coupling hydrogen evolution with biomass oxidation. This synergy between green chemistry and rational design provides a scalable and metal-free platform for advanced energy-conversion technologies.