Two-dimensional MXene based FeMoSe hybrid architectures for efficient bifunctional electrocatalysis in alkaline water

Electrochemical water splitting is a sustainable route for hydrogen and oxygen production but requires efficient and stable electrocatalyst to overcome kinetic barriers. In this work, a novel bifunctional electrocatalyst is synthesized by integrating selenium-doped iron–molybdenum (FeMoSe) with two-dimensional MXene nanosheets on nickel foam.The integration of MXene facilitate more efficient charge transfer and increases interfacial interactions in the composite, while the conductive substrate provides mechanical stability. The optimized MXene-assisted FeMoSe electrode demonstrates outstanding performance in alkaline media, achieving overpotentials of 281 mV for OER and 72 mV for HER at 10 mA cm⁻². Furthermore, it exhibits excellent chronopotentiometric stability of 100 h. Structural and morphological analyses by scanning electron microscopy together with powder X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed successful formation, structural integrity, and uniform distribution of hetero-interfaces within the hybrid architecture. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of MXene-assisted FeMoSe hybridization in enhancing electrocatalytic activity and highlight its potential as cost effective and efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for next-generation energy conversion systems.