Synthesis of M/Mo LDH@P-rGO (M = Ni, Co, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, W, and V) as a new electrocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media

The design of non-precious electrocatalysts with high performance is essential for developing green and renewable energy sources. Here, we presented a facile method for the synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) phosphorus-doped reduced graphene oxide (P-rGO) assembled by metal/molybdenum layered double hydroxide (M/Mo LDH), where M is Ni, Co, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, W, and V. The 3D structure of P-rGO provides abundant active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Among the mentioned metals, nickel shows the best HER performance, presenting a low overpotential of 91 mV at 10 mA cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 56 mV dec−1 in alkaline media. The Ni/Mo LDH@P-rGO electrocatalyst delivers excellent stability after 1000 consecutive cycles and after long-term testing over 12 h. The satisfactory HER activity of Ni/Mo LDH@P-rGO is due to its high electrochemically active surface area and synergistic effects between Ni and Mo atoms. This study will present a simple and efficient strategy to fabricate a high-performance electrocatalyst for HER.