Novel CoP/CoMoP₂ heterojunction with nanoporous structure as an efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution

The exploration of new heterojunction materials is of great significance in reducing the cost of existing noble metal catalysts and thus realizing the large-scale application of electrocatalytic hydrolysis technology. Herein, a novel CoP/CoMoP₂ heterojunction was synthesized and served as a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst. The heterojunction has morphology of nanoporous structure, which is conducive to exposing more active sites and facilitating bubbles transport. The charge distribution is optimized by a strong interface interaction between CoP and CoMoP₂. The catalyst’s conductivity and the adsorption properties of the intermediates have both been enhanced. CoP/CoMoP₂ demonstrates excellent HER activity with an overpotential of 93.6 mV at 10 mA∙cm⁻², which is competitive with the reported performance of analogous electrocatalysts. This work provides insights into the development of innovative phosphide-based heterojunction electrocatalysts.