Achieving a net-zero emissions economy requires significant decarbonization of the transportation sector, which depends on the development of highly efficient electrocatalysts. Electrolytic water splitting is a promising approach to this end, with Ni–Mo alloys emerging as strong candidates for hydrogen production catalysts. This study investigates the electrodeposition of Ni and Ni–Mo nanostructured alloys with high molybdenum content onto low-carbon steel cathodes using a novel alkaline green lactate bath. Catalyst morphology, microstructure, and composition were characterized using SEM, XRD, XPS, and EDX. Results showed molybdenum content increased with current density, ranging from 40.14 wt% at 1.12 mA cm⁻² to 61.68 wt% at 5.56 mA cm⁻², with average particle sizes of 39.4 nm for Ni, 20.7 nm for Ni–2Mo (56% Mo), and 30.8 nm for Ni–4Mo (65% Mo). The alloys comprised tetragonal MoNi₄, metallic Ni, metallic Mo, and MoO₃ phases. Ni–4Mo exhibited superior HER performance in 0.5 mol L⁻¹ H₂SO₄, with the lowest Tafel slope (−113 mV dec⁻¹), highest exchange current density (1.250 mA cm⁻²), and good stability after 250 cycles. It also outperformed Ni–2Mo at −50 mA cm⁻², demonstrating its promise as a durable and efficient HER catalyst in acidic media.

中文翻译：

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Ni-Mo 纳米结构合金作为在酸性介质中生产绿氢的有效电催化剂


实现净零排放经济需要交通部门的重大脱碳，这取决于高效电催化剂的开发。电解水分解是实现这一目标的一种很有前途的方法，Ni-Mo 合金成为制氢催化剂的有力候选者。本研究使用新型碱性绿色乳酸盐浴研究了高钼含量的 Ni 和 Ni-Mo 纳米结构合金在低碳钢阴极上的电沉积。使用 SEM、XRD、XPS 和 EDX 对催化剂形貌、微观结构和组成进行表征。结果表明，钼含量随电流密度的增加而增加，范围从 1.12 mA ^cm-2 时的 40.14 wt% 到 5.56 mA ^cm-2 时的 61.68 wt%，Ni 的平均粒径为 39.4 nm，Ni-2Mo （56% Mo） 为 20.7 nm，Ni-4Mo （65% Mo） 为 30.8 nm。合金包括四方 MoNi₄、金属 Ni、金属 Mo 和 MoO₃ 相。Ni-4Mo 在 0.5 mol ^L-1 H₂SO₄ 中表现出优异的 HER 性能，具有最低的塔菲尔斜率 （-113 mV ^dec-1）、最高的交换电流密度 （1.250 mA ^cm-2），并且在 250 次循环后具有良好的稳定性。它在 -50 mA ^cm-2 时的性能也优于 Ni-2Mo，证明了它在酸性介质中作为耐用和高效的 HER 催化剂的前景。