Co/MoN hetero-interface nanoflake array with enhanced water dissociation capability achieves the Pt-like hydrogen evolution catalytic performance

作者：Sun, Junwei; Xu, Wenjia; Lv, Chunxiao; Zhang, Lijie; Shakouri, Mohsen; Peng, Yanhua; Wang, Qianqian; Yang, Xianfeng; Yuan, Ding; Huang, Minghua; Hu, Yongfeng^*; Yang, Dongjiang^*; Zhang, Lixue^*

来源：Applied Catalysis B: Environmental , 2021, 286: 119882.

DOI：10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.119882

• MoN
• Hetero-interface
• Water dissociation
• Electrocatalyst
• Hydrogen evolution

Developing high-performance electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is paramount for hydrogen economy. Molybdenum-based nitrides (MoNx) are promising HER catalysts in alkaline condition; however, the performance is greatly limited by the weak water dissociation capacity to form adsorbed H* from H2O, which is crucial but long ignored. Herein, we develop a new strategy to enhance the water dissociation capacity of MoN by forming Co/MoN hetero-interface nanoflake array. The electronic structure of MoN can be effectively modulated by the electron transfer occurred at the Co/MoN hetero-interface. Co/MoN nanoarray also possesses a significantly increased electrochemically active surface area. Co/MoN nanoarray thus exhibits remarkable HER activity with an overpotential of 132 mV to reach 100 mA/cm(2), which is among the best non-noble metal HER electrocatalysts in alkaline solution. The very low energy barrier of -0.04 eV for water dissociation on Co/MoN calculated by density functional theory confirms the strong water dissociation capability.

• 单位
  中国海洋大学; 青岛大学