Self-Supported Biocarbon-Fiber Electrode Decorated with Molybdenum Carbide Nanoparticles for Highly Active Hydrogen-Evolution Reaction

Devising and facilely synthesizing an efficient noble metal-free electrocatalyst for the acceleration of the sluggish kinetics in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is still a big challenge for electrolytic water splitting. Herein, we present a simple one-step approach for constructing self supported biocarbon-fiber cloth decorated with molybdenum carbide nanoparticles (BCF/Mo2C) electrodes by a direct annealing treatment of the Mo oxyanions loaded cotton T-shirt. The Mo2C nanoparticles not only serve as the catalytic active sites toward the HER but also enhance the hydrophilicity and conductivity of resultant electrodes. As an integrated three-dimensional HER cathode catalyst, the BCF/Mo2C exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic performance with extremely low overpotentials of 88 and 115 mV to drive a current density of 20 mAcm(-2) in alkaline and acidic media, respectively. In addition, it can continuously work for 50 h with little decrease in the cathodic current density in both alkaline and acidic solutions. Even better, self-supported tungsten carbide and vanadium carbide based electrodes also can be prepared by a similar synthesis process. This work will illuminate an entirely new avenue for the preparation of various self-supported three-dimensional electrodes made of transition-metal carbides for various applications.