Heterojunction interface between bimetal phosphides engineering: Improved molybdenum-based phosphides for hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract

Electrochemical catalytic water splitting process is a potential method for clear hydrogen production. The interfacial electron regulation engineering is an effective path to prepare electrochemical catalysts for water splitting process. Herein, we obtain Ni doping molybdenum-based phosphides with heterojunction interface through a facile method. The acquired Ni doping molybdenum-based phosphides loading on N-doping porous carbon (MoNiP-MoP-PNC) exhibits a high specific surface area (SA), an abundant of porous structure and a electron regulation heterojunction interface. The high SA expose more catalytic sites and the plentiful of pores accelerate the electron/mass transfer, and the electron regulation heterojunction interface can induce the P-orbital electron redistribution to facilitate the adsorption/ desorption (ads/des) of [H] intermediate. The MoNiP-MoP-PNC shows a good catalytic behavior with a low overpotential and an excellent catalytic stability in 1.0 M KOH solution. The synchrotron-radiation results verify the interfacial electron regulation effect that the P-orbital of Mo atom is changed by the adjacent Ni atom and P atom. Meanwhile, density functional theory (DFT) theoretical calculation unmasks that the heterojunction interface can regulate the electron distribution to accelerate the HER. This work indicates a simple route to develop interfacial electron regulation engineering for high effective catalysts.