Ultrafast self-heating synthesis of robust heterogeneous nanocarbides for high current density hydrogen evolution reaction

Chenyu Li, Zhijie Wang, Mingda Liu, Enze Wang, Bolun Wang, Longlong Xu, Kaili Jiang, Shoushan Fan, Yinghui Sun (), Jia Li () and Kai Liu ()
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Chenyu Li: Tsinghua University
Zhijie Wang: Tsinghua University
Mingda Liu: Tsinghua University
Enze Wang: Tsinghua University
Bolun Wang: Tsinghua University
Longlong Xu: Tsinghua University
Kaili Jiang: Tsinghua University
Shoushan Fan: Tsinghua University
Yinghui Sun: University of Science and Technology Beijing
Jia Li: Tsinghua University
Kai Liu: Tsinghua University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Designing cost-effective and high-efficiency catalysts to electrolyze water is an effective way of producing hydrogen. Practical applications require highly active and stable hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts working at high current densities (≥1000 mA cm−2). However, it is challenging to simultaneously enhance the catalytic activity and interface stability of these catalysts. Herein, we report a rapid, energy-saving, and self-heating method to synthesize high-efficiency Mo2C/MoC/carbon nanotube hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts by ultrafast heating and cooling. The experiments and density functional theory calculations reveal that numerous Mo2C/MoC hetero-interfaces offer abundant active sites with a moderate hydrogen adsorption free energy ΔGH* (0.02 eV), and strong chemical bonding between the Mo2C/MoC catalysts and carbon nanotube heater/electrode significantly enhances the mechanical stability owing to instantaneous high temperature. As a result, the Mo2C/MoC/carbon nanotube catalyst achieves low overpotentials of 233 and 255 mV at 1000 and 1500 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH, respectively, and the overpotential shows only a slight change after working at 1000 mA cm−2 for 14 days, suggesting the excellent activity and stability of the high-current-density hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst. The promising activity, excellent stability, and high productivity of our catalyst can fulfil the demands of hydrogen production in various applications.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31077-x

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