Constructing micro-nano rod-shaped iron-molybdenum oxide heterojunctions to enhance overall water electrolysis

In this study, we describe the development of ferromolybdenum oxide (FeMoO), which is a heterojunction characterized by a rod-like structure. The synergistic interactions of iron, molybdenum are rod structures enhanced structural defects, mitigated individual component limitations, and improved material performance by optimizing structural configurations and electronic properties. Furthermore, the materials exploited electronic interactions at interfaces composed of different phases. Due to their nano structures with high active surface and optimization of the abundance of active sites, the rod-like FeMoO demonstrated remarkable efficiency for both oxygen and hydrogen evolution, exhibiting low overpotentials of 228 mV and 61 mV, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻². Moreover, assembling FeMoO as both the anode and cathode FeMoO || FeMoO required a cell voltage of 1.49 V to drive 10 mA cm⁻² in an alkaline solution, and this performance persisted for 450 h without significant voltage drop. We established a promising synthetic pathway for the development of dual-transition-metal-based (Fe and Mo) nanorod-like heterostructured electrocatalysts to significantly advance energy conversion technology, holding promise for enhanced water electrolysis applications.