The molybdenum electrode, Mo, has been investigated for hydrogen production via water electrolysis in 10 vol.% aqueous solutions of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMI center dot BF4) using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS measurements show that the Mo system has much higher interfacial capacitance, and correspondently the electrical double layer formed on this electrode is thicker than those formed on nickel or platinum. The positive displacement of potential of zero charge (PZC) values indicates the specific adsorption of the imidazolium cation on the Mo surface. This study provides an elegant explanation for the better performance of Mo electrodes in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER): the BMI cation acts as an intermediate for the proton transfer from water to the electrode surface, thereby decreasing the overpotential of HER. This model explains the synergism between Mo and the BMI cation in the HER process. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.