Melamine and poly [3-cyanomethyl-1-vinylimidazole bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide] (PCMVImTf2N) were in-situ compounded with different mass ratios as precursors, and calcined at high temperature to prepare a porous carbon-based catalyst. The experimental results showed when the mass ratio of melamine to PCMVImTf2N was 1:7, the prepared carbon material NC-7 exhibited excellent electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution ability in 0.5 mol/L sulfuric acid (H2SO4) electrolyte. When the current density was 10 mA/cm2, the overpotential was 117 mV, and the corresponding Tafel slope was 46 mV/dec, the performance was better than those of many metal-free electrocatalysts.