Conducting polymer-templated and nonnoble metal doped MoSe2 hybrids as bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting

•MoSe2 catalysts were prepared in the presence of polyaniline and simultaneously doped with three different transition (Co, Ni, or Fe) metals.•Incorporation of conductive polyaniline and transition metal doping enhanced the active sites of MoSe2 for electrochemical water splitting.•Co-doped MoSe2@PANI catalyst exhibited overpotentials of 196 mV and 385 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for HER and OER, respectively.•Co-doped MoSe2@PANI could help to future design of low-cost and high-performance bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting.