Molybdenum-Carbide-Modified Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Vesicle Encapsulating Nickel Nanoparticles: A Highly Efficient, Low-Cost Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Despite being promising substitutes for noble metal catalysts used in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs) based on inexpensive and earth-abundant 3d transition metals (TMs) are still practically unfeasible due mainly to unsatisfactory activity and durability. Herein, a highly active and stable catalyst for HER has been developed on the basis of molybdenum-carbide-modified N-doped carbon vesicle encapsulating Ni nanoparticles (MoxC-Ni@NCV). This MoxC-Ni@NCV material was synthesized simply by the solid-state thermolysis of melamine-related composites of oxalate and molybdate with uniform Ni ions doping (Ni@MOM-com). Notably, the prepared MoxC-Ni@NCV was almost the most efficient NPMCs for HER in acidic electrolyte to date. Besides good long-term stability, MoxC-Ni@NCV exhibited a quiet low overpotential that was comparable to Pt/C. Thus, this work opens a new avenue toward the development of highly efficient, inexpensive HER catalysts.