Interfacial engineered Mo₂C/MoO₂ heterojunction electrocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution in alkaline brine

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Transition metal carbides face challenges in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to sluggish kinetics and limited active sites in alkaline media.
• Developing efficient, non-precious metal electrocatalysts is crucial for industrial water electrolysis hydrogen production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a novel Mo2C/MoO2 heterojunction on a nitrogen-doped carbon substrate for enhanced HER performance.
• To investigate the role of interfacial electron transfer in optimizing hydrogen adsorption and catalytic activity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a Mo2C/MoO2 heterojunction catalyst supported on nitrogen-doped carbon.
• Electrochemical characterization of the catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline and alkaline saltwater environments.
• Evaluation of catalytic activity and long-term stability.

Main Results:

• The Mo2C/MoO2 heterojunction effectively regulated electronic structure and surface properties.
• Efficient interfacial electron transfer optimized hydrogen adsorption energy, enhancing reaction kinetics.
• The catalyst demonstrated HER activity comparable to commercial Pt/C (13/23 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm-2) with stability up to 300 hours.

Conclusions:

• Interfacial engineering of transition metal carbides is a promising strategy for designing high-performance electrocatalysts.
• The developed Mo2C/MoO2 heterojunction catalyst offers a viable alternative to precious metals for alkaline water electrolysis.
• This research provides significant implications for the industrialization of hydrogen production technology.