Slovenian Researchers Pioneer Electrified Catalytic Methane Decomposition for Carbon-Free Hydrogen and Valuable Nanocarbon Production
Key Insights
Researchers have developed an environmentally friendly pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) method to synthesize highly efficient molybdenum carbide nanoparticles.
The synthesized MoC/Mo2C nanoparticles demonstrated significant electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline conditions.
This novel synthesis technique offers a promising, cost-effective alternative to expensive noble metal catalysts for large-scale green hydrogen production.
The PLAL method avoids high temperatures and reactive gases, producing pure, ligand-free nanoparticles with high intrinsic activity.
In a significant advancement for green hydrogen production, researchers have successfully developed an environmentally friendly method for synthesizing highly efficient molybdenum carbide (MoC/Mo2C) nanoparticles (NPs) using nanosecond Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (PLAL). This breakthrough offers a promising alternative to costly noble metal catalysts, potentially accelerating the widespread adoption of sustainable hydrogen as a clean energy vector.
The global energy crisis underscores the urgent need for scalable and sustainable clean energy sources, with hydrogen emerging as a key player due to its high energy density. Green hydrogen, produced via electrocatalytic water splitting, relies heavily on efficient catalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). While platinum and other precious metals offer superior performance, their high cost and scarcity limit large-scale deployment, particularly in alkaline electrolyzers which are favored for industrial production.
Transition metal carbides, especially molybdenum-based variants, have garnered attention as low-cost, earth-abundant alternatives due to their metallic conductivity, mechanical strength, and d-band electronic structure similarity to platinum. However, conventional synthesis methods for these materials often involve prolonged operations at high temperatures (700–1000 °C) and the use of flammable gases, leading to material aggregation and reduced active sites.
This new study, detailed in Scientific Reports, introduces PLAL as a viable and eco-friendly approach. By ablating a molybdenum target in ethanol using a nanosecond pulsed laser, the research team successfully produced hexagonal Mo2C and cubic MoC nanoparticles. Crucially, structural and compositional characterizations revealed no oxidation and the absence of a graphitic shell, indicating a pure and highly active material. The PLAL technique offers distinct advantages, including the synthesis of pure, ligand-free nanoparticles without the need for post-synthesis treatment, reduced energy consumption, and a more environmentally benign process compared to traditional methods.
When loaded onto nickel foam, these novel MoC/Mo2C NPs exhibited significant HER activity in a 1 M KOH alkaline electrolyte. The catalysts achieved an overpotential of 136 mV vs. RHE at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² and 240 mV at 50 mA cm⁻². Furthermore, the calculated mass activity of 0.05 A/cm² highlights the intrinsic activity of this material, demonstrating performance comparable to or even superior to those synthesized via conventional, less sustainable methods reported in literature. While industrial scale-up of PLAL remains a challenge, the demonstrated efficacy and environmental benefits of this synthesis route mark a substantial step forward in developing cost-effective and efficient catalysts for green hydrogen production.