Fig. 1: Material characterization.

a SEM image of Y-NiMo/MoO2−x nanorod. b TEM image of Y-NiMo/MoO2−x. The positions of the NiMo alloy nanoparticles are marked using arrows. c HRTEM image of Y-NiMo/MoO2−x. The boundary between the NiMo alloy and MoO2 phases is marked with a light blue line. d XRD pattens of NiMo/MoO2 and Y-NiMo/MoO2−x. e EPR measurement of NiMoO4, Y-NiMoO4, and Y-NiMo/MoO2−x. High-resolution XPS of f O 1s, g Ni 2p, and h Mo 3d spectra for NiMo/MoO2 doped with different ratios of Y (0%, 1.0%, 2.0%, and 4.0%).