Coupled molybdenum carbide and reduced graphene oxide electrocatalysts for efficient hydrogen evolution

Electrochemical water splitting is one of the most economical and sustainable methods for large-scale hydrogen production. However, the development of low-cost and earth-abundant non-noble-metal catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction remains a challenge. Here we report a two-dimensional coupled hybrid of molybdenum carbide and reduced graphene oxide with a ternary polyoxometalate-polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite as a precursor. The hybrid exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction and excellent stability in acidic media, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the best among these reported non-noble-metal catalysts. Theoretical calculations on the…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• FO
  Foundation of Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 21371099, 21522305, 21471080
• GO
  Government of Jiangsu Province
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province

  Award: ZR2014BQ037
• PA
  Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions