Facile synthesis of electrocatalytically active NbS2 nanoflakes for an enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Issue 1 (22nd November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gopalakrishnan, Deepesh; Lee, Andrew; Thangavel, Naresh Kumar; Reddy Arava, Leela Mohana
• Is Part Of: Sustainable energy & fuels. Volume 2:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 96
• Page End: 102
• Publication Date: 2017-11-22
• Subjects: Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Electric batteries -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; 660.297
• DOI: 10.1039/c7se00376e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2398-4902

Abstract

Abstract : We report a simple ambient pressure annealing technique for the synthesis of ultrathin niobium disulfide (NbS2 ) nanoflakes. Abstract : We report a simple ambient pressure annealing technique for the synthesis of ultrathin niobium disulfide (NbS2 ) nanoflakes. The structure, morphology and composition of the as-synthesized NbS2 flakes are well characterized using various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The synthesized two-dimensional layered NbS2 is in stoichiometric proportion, and has a single crystal 3R-NbS2 polymorph structure with semiconducting behavior and has abundant catalytic defect sites. In this paper, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of the NbS2 nanoflakes/rGO composite having dense exposed basal planes with improved conductivity is explored, and it is found to be a good HER catalyst in terms of low onset potential, low Tafel slope and high exchange current density.