Vanadium-Stabilized MoB Nanoparticles Enable Hydrogen Evolution at Industry-Relevant High Current Densities

Bulk molybdenum boride electrocatalysts have emerged as as cost-effective alternatives to platinum-based catalysts toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), particularly under harsh industrial conditions requiring high current densities. However, differences in electrode preparation methods between molybdenum borides and Pt/C thus complicate direct activity comparison. In this study, vanadium-stabilized molybdenum monoboride (V_0.3Mo_0.7B) nanoparticles are synthesized and shown to outperform Pt/C at industrially relevant current densities under the same experimental conditions, achieving 1000 mA cm^-2 with an overpotential of just 0.452 V compared to 0.837 V for Pt/C. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that V_0.31Mo_0.69B exhibits improved Gibbs free energy for HER (ΔG_H = -0.12 eV) at high hydrogen coverages (80 to 100%), showcasing its superior catalytic activity at high current densities. Stability tests demonstrate that the V_0.3Mo_0.7B electrode retains 97% of its performance after ≈28 h of operation at 1000 mA cm^-2, positioning it as a compelling candidate for sustainable hydrogen production.