Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Recent progress in transition metal nitride-based electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Bo Ma1, Yuxiang Zeng1, Shuyue Li1
1Tianjin Key Lab for Photoelectric Materials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Display Materials and Photoelectric Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China. maxumax@163.com.
Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) show promise as affordable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), crucial for sustainable hydrogen production. Enhancing their structure and properties can improve performance, though challenges in understanding mechanisms and scalable synthesis remain.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is vital for sustainable hydrogen production.
- Noble-metal catalysts are effective but expensive for large-scale HER applications.
- Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) offer a promising, cost-effective alternative for HER electrocatalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in transition metal nitride (TMN)-based electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
- To summarize the structures, properties, synthesis methods, and performance enhancement strategies for TMNs in HER.
- To identify current challenges and future research directions in the field.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on TMN synthesis and HER performance.
- Analysis of various fabrication techniques including gas-solid reactions, liquid phase reactions, in situ conversion, and plasma-assisted nitridation.
- Examination of performance enhancement strategies such as phase, vacancy, heteroatom, heterostructure, and morphology engineering.
Main Results:
- TMNs exhibit favorable activity, stability, and affordability for HER.
- Synthesis methods like gas-solid reactions and plasma-assisted nitridation are employed.
- Performance enhancement strategies effectively tune catalytic properties and HER kinetics.
Conclusions:
- TMNs are viable alternatives to noble metals for HER electrocatalysis.
- Further research is needed to elucidate catalytic mechanisms and improve stability.
- Scalable and cost-effective synthesis methods are crucial for practical application of TMNs.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Catalysis
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...
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 surface of...
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview

