Interfacial confinement of Ni-V2O3 in molten salts for enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Implementation of non-precious electrocatalysts is key-enabling for water electrolysis to relieve challenges in energy and environmental sustainability. Self-supporting Ni-V 2 O 3 electrodes consisting of nanostrip-like V 2 O 3 perpendicularly anchored on Ni meshes are herein constructed via the electrochemical reduction of soluble NaVO 3 in molten salts for enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Such a special configuration in morphology and composition creates a well confined interface between Ni and V 2 O 3 . Experimental and Density-Functional-Theory results confirm that the synergy between Ni and V 2 O 3 accelerates the dissociation of H 2 O for forming hydrogen intermediates and enhances the combination of H* for generating H 2 .