The partially unzipped carbon nanotubes supported molybdenum carbide composite for enchanced hydrogen evolution reaction

The substrate effect of electrocatalyst on the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was explored in present work, and the multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) with different unzipped extent was used as the model substrate to support molybdenum carbide nanoparticles. The partially unzipped MWCNT which contained the carbon nanotube core and graphene nanoribbon shells was important for the high HER performance. The final molybdenum carbide/reduced graphene oxide nanoribbon catalyst showed a lower overpotential of 135 mV at 10 mA cm(-2) and a small Tafel slope of 59 mV decade(-1) in 0.5 M H2SO4. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, the substrate effect of electrocatalyst on the hydrogen evolution reaction was examined using multiwall carbon nanotubes with different unzipped extent. It was found that partially unzipped MWCNT played a crucial role in achieving high catalytic performance, leading to a lower overpotential and Tafel slope in sulfuric acid.