Rational design of CoMoP heterostructure on Cu nanowires for enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in alkaline and acidic media

Effort to find efficient catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) continue due to the high cost and scarcity of Pt catalyst. This study centers on electrodeposited CoMoP, a transition metal-based catalyst, with a focus on augmenting its active sites. The Cu nanowires serve as a template, not only expanding the surface area of CoMoP but also aiding in electron acceptance due to their excellent electrical conductivity. Consequently, the surface area experiences an approximate 2.1-fold increase compared to the case without nanowires. Furthermore, the CoMoP on Cu nanowires exhibits a heterostructure with crystalline and amorphous phases, enhancing electrical conductivity and exposing active sites. This distinctive configuration facilitates the transfer of protons and electrons, thereby improving the electrocatalytic activity. As a result of this enhanced activity, the catalyst demonstrates fairly low overpotentials for HER in both alkaline and acidic conditions. At current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2 in alkaline environment, it only needs 32 and 117 mV, respectively. Similarly, in acidic environment, the overpotentials are 55 and 112 mV at 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. The catalyst also shows good stability under both conditions.