Mo based electrocatalyst with N, P co-doped mesoporous carbon as matrix for overall water splitting H2 production

In an attempt to explore high efficient and low cost electrocatalyst in H2 evolution reaction (HER), Mo2C nanoparticles with the size about 8 to 10 nm are loaded on N, P co-doped mesoporous carbon matrix successfully with Na2MoO4 and carbonated beverage as precursors. The obtained electrocatalyst, Mo2C@NPC, possesses small dimension with the size about 200 to 300 nm. Mo2C@NPC exhibits very excellent HER activity. It exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance in basic condition, with overpotential 60 mV and Tafel slope 63 mV dec−1 to get 10 mA cm−2 current density for H2 evolution reaction (HER). To realize overall H2O splitting, Co was doped into Mo2C@NPC and a new electrocatalyst, named as Co/Mo2C@NPC was obtained. Co/Mo2C@NPC shows outstanding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Under same condition, to get current with density of 10 mA cm−2, Co/Mo2C@NPC merely need 360 mV. The electrocatalyst also possesses excellent durability, after 1000 cycles as well as 10 h long-term HER and OER tests, the current keeps stable. To achieve overall H2O splitting, an electrolyzer is constructed with Mo2C@NPC and Co/Mo2C@NPC as cathode and anode. To get a current with density 10 mA cm−2, it only needs a voltage of 1.60 V. We expect Mo2C@NPC and Co/Mo2C@NPC electrocatalyst can act as a new material for overall H2O splitting.