Porous N-doped Mo2C@C nanoparticles for high-performance hydrogen evolution reaction

Exploration for an earth-rich and competent electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a significant and challenging approach to confronting the resources shortage and environmental crisis. Porous N-doped Mo2C@C (N-Mo2C@C) nanoparticles self-encapsulated in nanospheres are presented as a high-performing HER electrocatalyst fabricated through a one-pot solvothermal method followed by hydrogen calcination. Structural analyses show that acetamide can regulate the size of the nanospheres, provide a N source for doping and form porous structures composed of Mo2C, which suggests the exposure of extensive active sites as well as the contact and diffusion among the medium, electrodes, and gas. Theoretical calculations show that the N doping can enhance the activity of the Mo-C bond, reduce the energy of capturing hydrogen intermediates, and increase the catalytic conductivity. This work offers a simple and promising strategy to understand the catalytic mechanism required to optimize the activity of Mo-based electrocatalysts via N doping.