Self‐Supported CoP Nanoparticle‐Embedded Wood‐Derived Porous Carbon Membrane for Efficient H2 Evolution in Both Acidic and Basic Solutions

Abstract Self‐supported carbon‐based electrocatalysts that possess good structural integrity, high activity, and excellent stability are being extensively pursued for applications in practical electrochemical energy conversion devices. Herein, we report a nature‐inspired and straightforward strategy to fabricate a self‐supported CoP nanoparticle‐embedded wood‐derived porous carbon membrane (CoP@PCM) as a highly efficient and stable electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in both acidic and basic solutions. Benefitting from the numerous aligned microchannels and high porosity of PCM, as well as the high dispersion of CoP nanoparticles, the as‐fabricated CoP@PCM demonstrates superior electrocatalytic activity for HER, with overpotentials of 155 and 112 mV in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 and 1.0 M KOH, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm −2 . In addition, CoP@PCM also exhibits good durability for HER at a high current density of ∼100 mA cm −2 in both solutions over 8 h of HER electrolysis, showing its great potential as a practical electrocatalyst for large‐scale electricity‐to‐fuel conversion.