Construction of Ni2P-MoC/Coal-Based Carbon Fiber Self-Supporting Catalysts for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution

Efficient and inexpensive electrocatalysts play an important role in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of electrolytic water splitting. Herein, Ni2P-MoC/coal-based carbon fiber (Ni2P-MoC/C-CF) self-supporting catalysts were obtained by low-temperature phosphorization and high-temperature carbonization. The Mo source and oxidized coal were uniformly dispersed in the carbon support by electrospinning technology. A precursor of Ni was introduced by the impregnation method. The synergistic effect of MoC and Ni2P may reduce the strong hydrogen adsorption capacity of pure MoC and provide a fast hydrogen release process. In addition, the C-CFs prepared by electrospinning can not only prevent the agglomeration of MoC and Ni2P particles at a high temperature but also provide a self-supporting support for the catalyst. As a result, the catalytic performance of the HER was improved greatly, and a low overpotential of 112 mV at 10 mA cm−2was exhibited stably by the Ni2P-MoC/C-CFs. This work not only converts coal into coal-based carbon materials but also provides a feasible pathway for the rational design of large-scale molded hydrogen electrocatalysts.Keywords:molybdenum carbide;nickel phosphide;coal-based carbon fibers;hydrogen evolution reaction;electrocatalysis