Direct mechanochemical synthesis of MoO2/MoC heterostructures catalysts with enhanced performance for hydrogen evolution reaction

Interfacial engineering is an effective approach for regulating the electronic structure of molybdenum carbides and promoting the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, the development of a facile, cost-effective, and scalable synthesis method is crucial for industrial applications. In this work, we developed a mechanochemical method for the preparation of a composite of MoO2/MoC with superior HER electrocatalytic performance in alkaline solutions. The MoO2/MoC composite can be easily formed by ball milling for 1 h at ambient conditions, and this process can be scaled up for large-scale industrialization. The composite construction leads to a redistribution of electrons around the interface, optimizing the adsorption energy and enhancing the HER performance beyond that of Pt/C catalysts. This strategy provides a new route for the simple and efficient preparation of high-activity electrocatalysts.