Ir-based electrocatalysts promoted by TME-substituted polyoxovanadate-derived vanadium carbide for efficient hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution.

A novel trimethylolethane (TME)-substituted polyoxovanadate (POV) was designed as a precursor to prepare ultrasmall vanadium carbide nanoparticles, which markedly promoted the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction of iridium (Ir)-based electrocatalysts. This work is the first example employing organic ligand-substituted POV as the precursor for metal carbide, and is also the first combination of Ir and vanadium carbide, providing new insights into the design of excellent electrocatalysts.