Molybdenum-Carbide-Modified Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Vesicle Encapsulating Nickel Nanoparticles: A Highly Efficient, Low-Cost Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Despite being promising substitutes for noble metal catalysts used in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs) based on inexpensive and earth-abundant 3d transition metals (TMs) are still practically unfeasible due mainly to unsatisfactory activity and durability. Herein, a highly active and stable catalyst for HER has been developed on the basis of molybdenum-carbide-modified N-doped carbon vesicle encapsulating Ni nanoparticles (Mo_xC-Ni@NCV). This Mo_xC-Ni@NCV material was synthesized simply by the solid-state thermolysis of melamine-related composites of oxalate and molybdate with uniform Ni ions doping (Ni@MOM-com). Notably, the prepared Mo_xC-Ni@NCV was almost the most efficient NPMCs for HER in acidic electrolyte to date. Besides good long-term stability, Mo_xC-Ni@NCV exhibited a quiet low overpotential that was comparable to Pt/C. Thus, this work opens a new avenue toward the development of highly efficient, inexpensive HER catalysts.