A high-performance electrocatalyst of CoMoP@NF nanosheet arrays for hydrogen evolution in alkaline solution

The implement of sustainable hydrogen production is a prerequisite to cater to our further energy demand. Herein, an excellent electrocatalyst of CoMoP nanosheet arrays grown on nickel foam (CoMoP NAs @NF) composite is constructed via a combination of hydrothermal and phosphating process for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). SEM and TEM characterizations indicate the composite has a unique three-dimension structure, where CoMoP nanosheets uniformly grow on NF substrate. Due to the unique structure and the synergetic effect between CoMoP nanosheet and bare NF, electrochemical tests suggest that the composite has an excellent HER performance with a low overpotential of only 24 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and Tafel slope of 44.6 mV dec−1. Moreover, a certain overpotential can be maintained at 10 mA cm−2 for over 20 h, suggesting its superior stability. Considering its superior HER performance and stability, we envision that this composite could be a prospective substitute for non-noble-metal HER catalysts for practical applications.