Thermal Engineering of MoFeNiP Carbon Electrocatalysts for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution in Acidic and Alkaline Media

Hydrogen has the potential to become a key component of the global economy by reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports, enhancing energy independence, and mitigating climate change. Its future role depends on factors such as availability, cost competitiveness, supportive legislation, public-private collaboration, and advancements in catalyst development for electrolyzers and fuel cells. In this study, carbon-supported multimetallic MoFeNiP catalysts were developed as cost-effective, platinum-free electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), via polymer-metal gel precursors and subsequent pyrolysis at different temperatures. The catalysts were evaluated in both acidic (0.5 M H₂SO₄) and alkaline (1 M KOH) media, revealing that C-MoFeNiP-1200 performed best in alkaline conditions, while C-MoFeNiP-1000 showed superior activity in acidic media. Electrochemical analyses confirmed favorable kinetics, efficient charge transfer, and good long-term stability. These results demonstrate that tuning pyrolysis temperature allows precise control over catalyst structure, surface properties, and performance, offering a sustainable and practical approach for designing efficient HER electrocatalysis.