Bimetallic MOF-Templated Fabrication of Porous Zn, N Co-doped Mo₂C for an Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Non-noble metal electrocatalysts have attracted great attention on account of low cost, good stability, and excellent hydrogen evolution performance. One of the most efficient approaches to increase active sites is to enlarge the specific surface area. Herein, we prepared porous zinc, nitrogen co-doped molybdenum carbide (Zn, N co-doped Mo2C) with large specific surface area, which was derived from Zn, Mo bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (Zn, Mo bimetallic MOFs) via a two-step approach. Most of Zn formed a porous structure during the volatilizing process at high temperature and reduction condition. In addition, the N element from the MOF template was doped into Zn, N co-doped Mo2C. Benefitting from the co-doping of Zn and N, the porous structure with a large specific surface area (352.2 m2 g–1), and the electrochemical surface area (241.2 cm2), Zn, N co-doped Mo2C showed enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction activity in H2SO4 (0.5 mol L–1) with a low overpotential of 169.5 mV (10 mA cm–2), an onset potential of 56.3 mV (1 mA cm–2), a small Tafel slope (62.2 mV dec–1), and good stability. This work enlightens that the MOF template is beneficial to the preparation of porous catalysts with large specific surface area and thus displays efficient catalytic performance varying from energy storage to conversion.