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Mesoporous and Skeletal Molybdenum Carbide for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Diatomite‐Type Structure and Formation Mechanism
Author(s) -
Wang Yangxia,
Shi Zhangping,
Mo Qijie,
Gao Boxu,
Liu Bolun,
Wang Lei,
Zhang Yahong,
Gao Qingsheng,
Tang Yi
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201700378
Subject(s) - nanorod , electrocatalyst , materials science , mesoporous material , molybdenum , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , catalysis , carbide , electrochemistry , chemistry , electrode , composite material , metallurgy , organic chemistry , engineering
Molybdenum carbide (MoC x ) has generated mounting attentions as noble‐metal‐free electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, triggered by the strategy of organic‐inorganic hybrid oriented transformation in nature, we attempt to prepare a diatomite‐type mesostructured MoC x electrocatalyst via the solid‐state reaction between MoO x /DMF hybrid precursor and β‐cyclodextrin. Benefiting from the occurrence of the designed individual “mesoskeleton‐forming” and “MoC x ‐generating” processes during pyrolysis, we successfully harvest the targeted electrocatalyst with mesostructural skeleton composed of inter‐connected MoC x nanoparticles (∼20 nm) and nanorod‐like morphology inheriting from its hybrid precursor. This crosslinked mesostructure can not only greatly decrease the diffusion resistance of reactants/products and promote the exposure of active sites, but also efficiently decrease the contact electrical resistance between neighboring MoC x nanoparticles. Importantly, the heterostructure of Mo 2 C and MoC on the nanorod is tunable in the synthesis process, which is proved to be favorable for the promoted HER performance in both acid and alkaline media. The strategy for synthesizing such nanostructures may open up new avenues for developing mesoskeletal materials