High-quality vanadium-doped MoS2 ultrathin nanosheets as an efficient ORR catalyst†
Abstract
For alkaline fuel cell cathode reactions, it is crucial to develop new catalysts with excellent catalytic performance. Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide nanosheets have proven to be effective electrocatalysts, especially in hydrogen evolution reactions. However, MoS2 has been less researched as a potential electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The introduction of vanadium atoms by chemical doping significantly increases the ORR activity of the MoS2 nanosheets, which is greatly improved compared to the bulk MoS2. The vanadium heteroatoms can not only change the electrical properties and band structure of the pristine materials, but also provide a rich active site for the catalysis.