A chainmail effect of ultrathin N-doped carbon shell on NiP nanorod arrays for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction catalysis.

Exploring innovation strategies has huge potential to significantly improving both activity and stability of current catalysts. Here, a chainmail design is proposed to enable the electronic interaction of ultrathin nitrogen-doped carbon shell with NiP nanorod core arrayed on nickel foam (NiP@NC/NF) for simultaneously promoting the activity and stability in both alkaline and neutral hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The easy penetration of valence electrons from active NiP core to NC shell enables the obvious improvement of HER performance compared to pure NiP.