Electrospun NiMo nanobelts self-supported electrodes for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media

[Display omitted] •Highly dispersed self-supporting NiMo nanobelts are prepared by electrospinning.•Unique belt structure allows a large fraction of electrochemical active sites.•Due to the belt structure, NiMo nanobelts exhibits sufficient mechanical strength.•NiMo nanobelts show excellent HER activity and cycling stability. Transition metal compounds, as promising non-precious metal-based materials for hydrogen evolution reaction, have been limited by metal particles agglomeration. It is challenging to achieve ultra-dispersion of transition nano-metal catalysts, which would enlarge surface areas and reinforce physical stability. In this study, self-supported, highly dispersed NiMo nanobelts have been prepared by electrospinning and in-situ vacuum reduction. The unique belt structure with large active sites could facilitate the electron transfer and exhibits sufficient mechanical strength. The NiMo nanobelts show excellent HER activity, which achieve 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH only required 62 mV overpotential, as well as great cycling stability.