Hierarchical Porous Molybdenum Carbide Based Nanomaterials for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production

The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for the preparation of hydrogen fuel is a very promising technology to solve the shortage of hydrogen storage. However, in practical applications, HER catalysts with excellent performance and moderate price are very rare. Molybdenum carbide (Mo_xC) has attracted extensive attention due to its electronic structure and natural abundance. Here, a comprehensive review of the preparation and performance control of hierarchical porous molybdenum carbide (HP-Mo_xC) based catalysts is summarized. The methods for preparing hierarchical porous materials and the regulation of their HER performance are mainly described. Briefly, the HP-Mo_xC based catalysts were prepared by template method, morphology-conserved transformations method, and secondary conversion method of an organic-inorganic hybrid material. The intrinsic HER kinetics are enhanced by the introduction of a carbon-based support, heteroatom doping, and the construction of a heterostructure. Finally, the future development of HP-Mo_xC based catalysts is prospected in this review.