Cobalt-nitride-carbide (Co-N-C) catalysts are promising cost-efficient transition metal catalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, but few works investigate the metal–support interaction (MSI) effect on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. Herein, efficient… Click to show full abstract
Cobalt-nitride-carbide (Co-N-C) catalysts are promising cost-efficient transition metal catalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, but few works investigate the metal–support interaction (MSI) effect on hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. Herein, efficient Co-N-CX catalysts with controllable MSI between encapsulated Co nanoparticles and nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon nanosheets were synthesized via a facile organic–inorganic hybridization method. Results demonstrate that the Co-N-C0.025M catalyst with the coexistence of single-atom Co sites and Co nanoparticles prepared by 0.025 M cobalt nitrate shows excellent HER performance, achieving a low overpotential of 145 mV to reach 10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 M sulfuric acid, which is mainly because the optimal MSI, which leads to a moderate hydrogen adsorption energy and improved electroactive sites, not only facilitates the charge transfer to improve the HER kinetics, but also improves the durability of the catalyst by Co-N bond anchoring and encapsulation of active Co species. This work provides guidance to further reveal the influence of MSI on their catalytic activity.
               
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