Ultrafast carbothermal shock synthesis of transition metal phosphides in air for highly efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) are a promising class of functional nanomaterials with significant potential for energy-related applications. However, a universal synthesis method that is both efficient and scalable remains a challenge. This study introduces an ultrafast carbothermal shock (UCS) technique as efficient method for synthesizing various TMPs, including Rh₂P, Ir₂P, Pd₅P₂, RuP and PtP₂, in just 15 s under ambient air conditions. Notably, the as synthesized Rh₂P exhibits remarkable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance with low overpotentials of 13 and 70 mV to reach current densities of 10 and 100 mA/cm², respectively, coupled with excellent operational stability for over 20 h. This technique not only provides a universal platform for producing various metal phosphides, but also holds significant promise for advancing their applications in energy conversion and storage devices, catalysis, and biosensors.