Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Solar-Driven Electrochemical Green Fuel Production from CO2 and Water Using Ti3C2Tx MXene-Supported CuZn and NiCo Catalysts
Published on: November 7, 2025
Hollow Chevrel-Phase NiMo3 S4 for Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Electrolytes
Jun Jiang1, Minrui Gao2, Wenchao Sheng1
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA.
Researchers developed hollow Chevrel-phase NiMo3S4 as a low-cost, highly active, and stable catalyst for alkaline water splitting. This new material efficiently produces hydrogen in alkaline conditions, showing promise for future electrolyzers.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen generation needs efficient, cost-effective, and stable catalysts.
- Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is less efficient in alkaline media compared to acidic media, even for platinum catalysts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and evaluate novel hollow Chevrel-phase NiMo3S4 as a catalyst for alkaline HER.
- To assess the catalytic activity, stability, and cost-effectiveness of the synthesized material.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of hollow Chevrel-phase NiMo3S4 nanomaterials.
- Electrochemical characterization of the catalyst's performance in alkaline HER.
Main Results:
- The synthesized hollow Chevrel-phase NiMo3S4 exhibited an onset potential of -59 mV.
- Achieved a Tafel slope of 98 mV per decade and an exchange current density of 3.9×10^-2 mA/cm^2.
- Demonstrated excellent long-term stability under demanding HER cycling conditions.
Conclusions:
- Hollow Chevrel-phase NiMo3S4 is a promising catalyst for alkaline water splitting.
- The material offers an efficient, low-cost alternative for hydrogen production in alkaline electrolyzers.
More Related Videos
06:32A Simple, Low-cost, and Robust System to Measure the Volume of Hydrogen Evolved by Chemical Reactions with Aqueous Solutions
Published on: August 17, 2016
06:39Author Spotlight: Design and Evaluation of Au-Electroplated Carbon Fiber Cloth Electrodes for Hydrogen Peroxide Fuel Cells
Published on: October 20, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Electrochemical Cells
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
Batteries and Fuel Cells
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Alkali Metals
Table 1: Properties of the alkali metals
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...