In situ synthesis of NiOₓ(OH)ᵧ/Mo2C heterostructures via mechanochemistry method for efficient water electrolysis

Developing an efficient and scalable approach to fabricate catalysts with high activity and long-term stability remains a critical challenge in electrochemical hydrogen production. In this study, we present a straightforward method utilizing mechanochemical ball milling to synthesize nickel oxide and molybdenum carbide composites. The incorporation of nickel oxide into molybdenum carbide was observed to induce a synergistic effect, leading to improved electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and long-term stability. Moreover, a two-electrode alkaline electrolyzer incorporating these materials demonstrated superior overall water-splitting efficiency. This approach presents a viable and scalable method for the large-scale synthesis of advanced water-splitting catalysts with commercial potential.