NiMoO4@H–BiMoNi with nanorod cluster structure for an efficient hydrogen evolution reactions in electrocatalysts

Abstract

The physicochemical and electrocatalytic properties of existing single-component electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction can hardly meet the requirements for widespread industrial applications, so the development of more efficient and mature electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction is necessary. In this study, the growth of BiMoNi nanorod clusters on nickel foam (NF/NiMoO4) modified with nickel molybdate was investigated using a direct electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction. Vertically aligned NiMoO4 nanorods act as the central growth framework providing a large number of electrochemical sites and fast ion electron transfer channels. BiMoNi nanocluster particles were used to modify the NiMoO4 nanorods, where the in situ growth of Bi–O bonds promoted an increase in charge transfer, further improving the efficiency of the response of material to electrochemical hydrogen evolution reactions. The final NF/NiMoO4@H–BiMoNi nanorod cluster achieved the best electrocatalytic performance, with the NF/NiMoO4@H–BiMoNi nanorod cluster structure exhibiting a low overpotential of 53 mA at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in a 1.0 M KOH solution. The results indicate that the electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction studied in this thesis have some potential applications.