Organoelectrocatalysts: A Viable Solution for Green Hydrogen Production

As we transition to a net‐zero emissions world, hydrogen is gaining momentum as a critical enabler. Among the several methods of producing hydrogen, electrochemical water splitting appeared to be the most promising. However, hydrogen production needs the use of efficient catalysts, which reduces the process's large overpotential. Noble metals exhibit excellent catalytic properties for hydrogen generation. However, the high cost and scarcity of noble metal‐based catalysts have limited their widespread use for renewable energy generation. Therefore, fabrication of earth‐abundant electrocatalysts with substantial activity and durability for hydrogen generation is receiving significant attention. Metal‐free carbon‐based materials are becoming increasingly important for electrocatalytic hydrogen generation due to their inexpensive cost, tunable molecular structures, high abundance, and superior electrochemical stability in hostile circumstances such as strong acidic and alkaline media. This article summarizes the advancements in metal‐free electrocatalysts, including carbon‐based materials, that is, graphene, GC 3 N 4 , Carbon dots, Graphdiyne and carbon nanotube‐based catalysts; electrocatalysts based on covalent organic frameworks; and electrocatalysts based on small organic molecules. Different strategies adopted for improving the electrocatalytic activity of metal‐free catalysts for water splitting are also discussed. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of utilizing metal‐free organic electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions are briefly summarized.