Ultrathin Graphitic Carbon Coated Molybdenum Phosphide as Noble-Metal-Free Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution

The exploration of non-precious metal catalysts for hydrogen generation by electrochemical water-splitting is the subject of extensive studies. In this work, we report the ultrathin graphitic carbon coated MoP nanoparticles (MoP/GC) prepared by the combination method of temperature-programmed reduction and hydrothermal treatment. The sintering condition is of vital importance for the MoP synthesis. Our catalyst exhibits high activity and outstanding stability for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In acidic media, MoP/GC exhibits a low onset overpotential of 47 mV, and a Tafel slope of 54.0 mV dec⁻¹. The novel ultrathin graphitic carbon coated structure provides MoP with enhanced electrical conductivity and improved catalytic activity. This work enlightens a universal method of preparing cost-effective and acid-stable electrocatalysts for HER.