Built-in electrophilic/nucleophilic domain of nitrogen-doped carbon nanofiber-confined NiP/NiN nanoparticles for efficient urea-containing water-splitting reactions.

Transferring urea-containing waste water to clean hydrogen energy has received increasing attention, while challenges are still faced in the sluggish catalytic kinetics of urea oxidation. Herein, a novel hybrid catalyst of NiP/NiN embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon nanofiber (NiP/NiN/NCNF) is developed for energy-relevant urea-containing water-splitting reactions. The built-in electrophilic/nucleophilic domain resulting from the electron transfer from NiP to NiN accelerates the formation of high-valent active Ni species and promotes favourable urea molecule adsorption.