A self-supported porous NiMo electrocatalyst to boost the catalytic activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract

To develop hydrogen energy production and address the issues of global warming, inexpensive, effective, and long-lasting transition metal-based electrocatalysts for the synthesis of hydrogen are crucial. Herein, a porous electrocatalyst NiMo/Ni/NF was successfully constructed by a two-step electrodeposition process, and was used in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of electrocatalytic water decomposition. NiMo nanoparticles were coated on porous Ni/NF grown on nickel foam (NF), leading to a resilient porous structure with enhanced conductivity for efficient charge transfer, as well as distinctive three-dimensional channels for quick electrolyte diffusion and gas release. Notably, the low overpotential (42 mV) and fast kinetics (Tafel slope of 44 mV dec⁻¹) at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in 1.0 M KOH solution demonstrate the excellent HER activity of the electrode, which was superior to that of recently reported non-noble metal-based catalysts. Additionally, NiMo/Ni/NF showed extraordinary catalytic durability in stability tests at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² for 70 h. The porous structure catalyst and the electrodeposition–electrocatalysis technique examined in this study offer new approaches for the advancement of the electrocatalysis field because of these benefits.