Enhanced hydrogen evolution catalysis in MoS2 nanosheets by incorporation of a metal phase

Abstract

Here, we propose a metal 1T-phase incorporation strategy to dramatically enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysis in primitive 2H-MoS₂ nanosheets. Electrochemical measurement results indicate the fabricated 1T@2H-MoS₂/C nanosheets exhibit facile electrode kinetics, low-loss electrical transport and possess a proliferated density of catalytic active sites compared to that of 2H-MoS₂. As an electrocatalyst operating at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², the fabricated 1T@2H-MoS₂/C nanosheets exhibited overpotentials of 64 mV in 0.5 M H₂SO₄, as well as a Tafel slope of 49 mV per decade, which exceed by far the activity of previous MoS₂ catalysts. This design opens up new possibilities for effective manipulation of HER catalysts in two-dimensional nanostructures.