Phosphorized MXene-Phase Molybdenum Carbide as an Earth-Abundant Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalyst

• Published in: ACS applied energy materials 2018-12, Vol.1 (12), p.7206-7212
• Main Authors: Qu, Guoxing, Zhou, Yang, Wu, Tianli, Zhao, Guoliang, Li, Fangfang, Kang, Yijin, Xu, Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2574-0962; 2574-0962
• DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.8b01642

MXenes with good conductivity and hydrophilicity are a new family of potential electrocatalysts (e.g., for hydrogen evolution). However, pristine MXenes usually show unsatisfactory catalytic activity compared with traditional platinum group metal electrocatalysts. We introduce both phosphorus and oxygen into Mo2CT x MXenes through a simple phosphorization course. The phosphorized Mo2CT x MXenes exhibit significantly improved electrocatalytic performance toward hydrogen evolution reaction compared with pristine Mo2CT x MXenes, with a dramatic decrease in overpotential (more than 100 mV at 10 mA cm–2). Theoretical computation suggests that P and O doped Mo2CT x MXenes possess a metallic band structure and an optimal hydrogen adsorption, which lead to improved conductivity and electrocatalytic kinetics, respectively. This work not only advances the understanding of property-tuning of the latest two-dimensional MXene materials but also paves the way for the development of MXene-based materials that can be applied in the field of energy conversion and storage.