Formation of Mo–Polydopamine Hollow Spheres and Their Conversions to MoO2/C and Mo2C/C for Efficient Electrochemical Energy Storage and Catalyst

Highly uniform hierarchical Mo–polydopamine hollow spheres are synthesized for the first time through a liquid-phase reaction under ambient temperature. A self-assembly mechanism of the hollow structure of Mo–polydopamine precursor is discussed in detail, and a determined theory is proposed in a water-in-oil system. Via different annealing process, these precursors can be converted into hierarchical hollow MoO 2 /C and Mo 2 C/C composites without any distortion in shape. Owing to the well-organized structure and nanosize particle embedding, the as-prepared hollow spheres exhibit appealing performance both as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries and as the catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Accordingly, MoO 2 /C delivers a high reversible capacity of 940 mAh g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 and 775 mAh g −1 at 1 A g −1 with good rate capability and long cycle performance. Moreover, Mo 2 C/C also exhibits an enhanced electrocatalytic performance with a low overpotential for HER in both acidic and alkaline conditions, as well as remarkable stability.