Vanadium-doping in interlayer-expanded MoS2 nanosheets for the efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. Issue 13 (5th June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Tong; Fang, Changji; Yu, Bansui; You, Yu; Niu, Haihong; Zhou, Ru; Zhang, Junjun; Xu, Jun
• Is Part Of: Inorganic chemistry frontiers. Volume 7:Issue 13(2020)
• Page Start: 2497
• Page End: 2505
• Publication Date: 2020-06-05
• Subjects: Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; 546.05
• DOI: 10.1039/d0qi00135j
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2052-1553

Abstract

Abstract : Synergistic modulations of vanadium doping, interlayer expansion and hybrid 1T&2H phases of few-layered MoS2 nanosheets are realized to gain structural and electronic benefits for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction performance. Abstract : Two-dimensional layered MoS2 nanosheets are regarded as a promising catalyst for electrocatalytic hydrogen generation but suffer from limitations of catalytically inert basal planes and poor intrinsic conductivity. In this work, we report a simple hydrothermal method to synthesize defect-rich MoS2 nanosheets featuring vanadium (V) doping, widely expanded interlayer spacings, and a high content of metallic 1T-phase towards the efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The structural characteristics of V(iv )&V(ii ) co-doping, mixed 1T&2H phases and wide interlayer expansion endow the nanosheets with plentiful disorders and rich defects, thereby resulting in abundant active sites. Furthermore, V(iv )&V(ii ) co-doping brings in electronic benefits of a narrowed bandgap, improved intrinsic conductivity and optimized hydrogen adsorption free energy of basal planes. By tuning the V dopant content, the 10%V-MoS2 catalyst shows an optimized HER performance with a low overpotential of 146 mV at 10 mA cm −2 and a small Tafel slope of 48 mV dec −1, and a long operational stability of 80 h. Our work opens up new opportunities for improving the electrochemical HER performance of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) by synergistic structural and compositional modulations.