More active sites exposed few-layer MoSe2 supported on nitrogen-doped carbon as highly efficient and durable electrocatalysts for water splitting. (20th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jiang, Zhong-Jie; Xie, Guiting; Deng, Binglu; Jiang, Zhongqing
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 285(2018)
• Page Start: 103
• Page End: 110
• Publication Date: 2018-09-20
• Subjects: Few-layer -- MoSe2 -- Nitrogen-doped carbon -- Hydrogen evolution reaction -- Advanced electrocatalysts; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.07.218
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Abstract: Development of advanced electrocatalysts to drive efficient hydrogen evolution reaction through water splitting is vital in many energy related technologies. Herein the development of nitrogen-doped carbon supported fewer-layer MoSe2 (FL-MoSe2 /NC) through calcining the hydrothermal product of the Se and Mo precursors in the presence of ammonium citrate is reported. This FL-MoSe2 /NC is highly efficient for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and exhibits a remarkably low onset potential of 15.2 mV, an extremely small overpotential of 74.6 mV (vs. RHE) at 10 mA cm −2, a greatly reduced Tafel slope of 45.2 mV dec −1, and a higher exchange current density of 0.266 mA cm −2 . The performance of the FL-MoSe2 /NC is much higher than that of most Mo-based HER electrocatalysts reported to date and even comparable to that of other most active non-precious metal based catalysts, suggesting the great potential of using the FL-MoSe2 /NC as an efficient catalyst for the HER. The NC is believed to play an important role in the high performance of the FL-MoSe2 /NC. It does not only promote a strong interaction between MoSe2 and the NC, but facilitates the formation of MoSe2 with few layers and shorter lattice fringe lengths, which expose more active sites accessible to the HER. Graphical abstract: Nitrogen-doped carbon supported fewer-layer MoSe 2 (FL-MoSe 2 /NC) is demonstrated to be an efficient catalyst for the HER. The NC plays an important role in the high performance of the FL-MoSe2 /NC. It facilitates the formation of MoSe2 with few layers and shorter lattice fringe lengths and the exposure of more active sites to the HER. Image 1 Highlights: Nitrogen-doped carbon supported few-layer MoSe2 (FL-MoSe2 /NC) is prepared. It exhibits low onset potential and small overpotential. It exhibits a greatly reduced Tafel slope and a higher exchange current density. MoSe2 with few-layers and short fringe lengths exposes more edge and defect sites. There exists a strong coupling between MoSe2 and NC.