Bimetallic Co/Mo<sub>2</sub>C Nanoparticles Embedded in 3D Hierarchical N‐doped Carbon Heterostructures as Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting
Jinxu Zhang, Xueping Sun, Peng Wei, Gongchang Lu, Shixiong Sun, Yue Xu, Chun Fang, Qing Li, Jiantao Han
Abstract
Abstract Modulating intrinsic electronic and geometric structures of bimetallic electrocatalysts has been regarded as a promising strategy to effectively solve the sluggish kinetics and large overpotential of OER (Oxygen evolution reaction) and HER (Hydrogen evolution reaction) involved in future large‐scale electricity‐to‐hydrogen generation. Here, the bifunctional Co/Mo 2 C electrocatalysts encapsulated in 3D hierarchical nitrogen‐doped carbon nanofibers synchronously rooted with abundant carbon nanotubes (Co/Mo 2 C‐NCNTs) were successfully fabricated by a facile electrospinning method. Due to the unique heterostructures and strong synergetic effects between Co and Mo 2 C nanoparticles to improve OH − affinity, moderate Mo−H bonds, and expose more active sites, the Co/Mo 2 C‐NCNTs displayed a tiny overpotential for OER ( η 10 =310 mV) and HER ( η 10 =170 mV) and stably operated for 24 h. Moreover, the results of a water electrolysis device demonstrated that the faradaic efficiency was close to 100 %, which further proved that this method was feasible and effective to fabricate high‐efficiency bifunctional non‐noble electrocatalysts for water splitting.