Nitrogen‐Doped Porous Molybdenum Carbide and Phosphide Hybrids on a Carbon Matrix as Highly Effective Electrocatalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Abstract The efficient evolution of hydrogen through electrocatalysis is considered a promising approach to the production of clean hydrogen fuel. Platinum (Pt)‐based materials are regarded as the most active hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts. However, the low abundance and high cost of Pt hinders the large‐scale application of these catalysts. Active, inexpensive, and earth‐abundant electrocatalysts to replace Pt‐based materials would be highly beneficial to the production of cost‐effective hydrogen energy. Herein, a novel organoimido‐derivatized heteropolyoxometalate, Mo4‐CNP, is designed as a precursor for electrocatalysts of the HER. It is demonstrated that the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus sources derived from the Mo4‐CNP molecules lead to in situ confined carburization, phosphorization, and chemical doping on an atomic scale, thus forming nitrogen‐doped porous molybdenum carbide and phosphide hybrids, which exhibit remarkable electrocatalytic activity for the HER. Such an organically functionalized polyoxometalate‐assisted strategy described here provides a new perspective for the development of highly active non‐noble metal electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution.