Highly efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution promoted by O-Mo-C interfaces of ultrafine β-Mo₂C nanostructures.

ABSTRACT: Optimizing interfacial contacts and thus electron transfer phenomena in heterogeneous electrocatalysts is an effective approach for enhancing electrocatalytic performance. Herein, we successfully synthesized ultrafine β-Mo₂C nanoparticles confined within hollow capsules of nitrogen-doped porous carbon (β-Mo₂C@NPCC) and found that the surface layer of molybdenum atoms was further oxidized to a single Mo-O surface layer, thus producing intimate O-Mo-C interfaces. An arsenal of complementary technologies, including XPS, atomic-resolution HAADF-STEM, and XAS analysis clearly reveals the existence of O-Mo-C interfaces for these surface-engineered ultrafine nanostructures. The β-Mo₂C@NPCC electrocatalyst exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the hydro

SUBMITTER: Yang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8152622 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature