Electrodeposition of self-supported Ni-Mo-P film on Ni foam as an affordable and high-performance electrocatalyst toward hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract

The development of adequate and inexpensive electrocatalysts for electrochemical hydrogen production is of utmost importance to meet the world’s growing demand for energy, and overcome the challenge of global warming. Herein, non-noble Ni-Mo-P ternary alloy was coated on Ni foam through an in-situ, one-step electrodeposition approach under different experimental conditions. The synthesized Ni-Mo-P/NF is capable of delivering a current density of −10 mA cm−2 at a small overpotential of −63 mV in alkaline medium which demonstrates the excellent HER activity of the electrode. Moreover, the electrode exhibited favorable catalytic durability through different stability tests. The remarkable electrocatalytic activity of Ni-Mo-P/NF can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of Mo, P, and Ni elements, the large active surface area, and high electrical conductivity of this electrode, which is a result of the binder-free synthesis method of the coating. The outstanding HER performance of Ni-Mo-P/NF electrode, along with its cost-effective and scalable synthesis approach, highlights the significant potential of this electrode to be utilized in commercial water electrolyzers.