Current Progress of Mo-Based Metal Organic Frameworks Derived Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is vital for electrochemical water splitting but faces sluggish kinetics.
• Platinum-based catalysts are effective but expensive, necessitating research into non-platinum alternatives.
• Molybdenum-based materials (e.g., Mo₂C, MoP, MoS₂) show promise due to their electronic properties and abundance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the progress of electrocatalysts derived from molybdenum-metal organic frameworks (Mo-MOFs) for HER.
• To consolidate information on preparation methods, structures, and catalytic performance of these derived materials.
• To discuss strategies for enhancing catalytic activity and identify future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on Mo-MOF-derived electrocatalysts for HER.
• Categorization of catalysts based on derived molybdenum species (Mo₂C, MoO₂, MoP, MoS₂, MoNₓ).
• Analysis of performance-enhancing strategies, including heteroatom doping, heterogeneous structures, and noble metal compositing.

Main Results:

• Mo-MOFs serve as versatile precursors for synthesizing various nano-structured molybdenum-based electrocatalysts.
• The review details the preparation, structure-property relationships, and HER performance of catalysts like Mo₂C, MoO₂, MoP, MoS₂, and MoNₓ derived from Mo-MOFs.
• Strategies such as doping, creating heterostructures, and forming composites significantly improve catalytic efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Mo-MOF-derived catalysts offer a promising pathway for developing efficient and cost-effective non-platinum electrocatalysts for HER.
• Further research into optimizing catalyst design and understanding structure-activity relationships is essential.
• This review provides a comprehensive overview and outlook for Mo-based MOF-derived electrocatalysts in water splitting.