MoSx microgrid electrodes with geometric jumping effect for enhancing hydrogen evolution efficiency

Bubble evolution behaviors play important roles in bubble emission reactions. Here we fabricated one-dimensional (1D)-aligned MoSx microgrids to investigate the influence of the periodic structure on bubble releasing. It is demonstrated that the utilization of the surface energy released during coalescence of bubbles causes them to jump from the electrode, which can be an effective route to eliminate the bubble shielding effect. Under the optimized architecture with 40-μm-wide grooves, the generated bubbles tend to coalesce and release from the electrode with much smaller size (65% less in volume). By balancing the coalescence efficiency and the adhesive work via the architecture engineering, the electrocatalytic performance can be promoted with the rapid bubble removal and lowered ohmic resistance. The results provide new insights into the rational design of novel catalytic electrode architectures and promote their applications in related fields.