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Yttrium-doped NiMo-MoO2 heterostructure electrocatalysts for hydrogen production from alkaline seawater

Author

Listed:
  • Shujie Liu

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Zhiguo Zhang

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Kamran Dastafkan

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Yan Shen

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Chuan Zhao

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Mingkui Wang

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Active and stable electrocatalysts are essential for hydrogen production from alkaline water electrolysis. However, precisely controlling the interaction between electrocatalysts and reaction intermediates (H2O*, H*, and *OH) remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate an yttrium-doped NiMo-MoO2 heterogenous electrocatalyst that efficiently promotes water dissociation and accelerates the intermediate adsorption/desorption dynamics in alkaline electrolytes. Introducing yttrium into the NiMo/MoO2 heterostructure induces lattice expansion and optimizes the d-band center of NiMo alloy component, enhancing water dissociation and H* desorption. Yttrium doping also increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies in MoO2−x, which in turn accelerates the charge kinetics and the swift evacuation of *OH intermediates from the active sites. Consequently, the Y-NiMo/MoO2−x heterostructure exhibits notable performance by requiring only 189 and 220 mV overpotentials to achieve current density of 2.0 A cm−2 in alkaline water and seawater, respectively. This work provides a strategy to modulate heterostructure catalysts for scalable, economically viable hydrogen production from low-quality waters.

Suggested Citation

  • Shujie Liu & Zhiguo Zhang & Kamran Dastafkan & Yan Shen & Chuan Zhao & Mingkui Wang, 2025. "Yttrium-doped NiMo-MoO2 heterostructure electrocatalysts for hydrogen production from alkaline seawater," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-55856-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-55856-4
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