Composition and Interface Engineering of Alloyed MoS2xSe2(1-x) Nanotubes for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Activity

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2016-08, Vol.12 (32), p.4379-4385
• Main Authors: Zhang, Junjun, Wu, Mei-Hui, Shi, Zheng-Tian, Jiang, Miao, Jian, Wen-Jing, Xiao, Zhangru, Li, Jixue, Lee, Chun-Sing, Xu, Jun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloys; composition tuning; electrocatalysts; interfaces; MoS2; Nanotechnology; transition-metal dichalcogenides
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.201601496

Hierarchical MoS2xSe2(1−x) nanotubes assembled from several‐layered nanosheets featuring tunable chalcogen compositions, expanded interlayer spacing and carbon modification, are synthesized for enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The chalcogen compositions of the MoS2xSe2(1−x) nanotubes are controllable by adjusting the selenization temperature and duration while the expanded (002) interlayer spacing varies from 0.98 to 0.68 nm. It is found that the MoS2xSe2(1−x) (x = 0.54) nanotubes with expanded interlayer spacing of 0.98 nm exhibit the highest electrocatalytic HER activity with a low onset potential of 101 mV and a Tafel slope of 55 mV dec−1. The improved electrocatalytic performance is attributed to the chalcogen composition tuning and the interlayer distance expansion to achieve benefitting hydrogen adsorption energy. The present work suggests a potential way to design advanced HER electrocatalysts through modulating their compositions and interlayer distances. Hierarchical nanotubes consisting of ternary alloyed MoS2xSe2(1−x) nanosheets with tunable compositions and highly expanded interlayer spacings are synthesized for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Significant enhancement in electrocatalytic HER activity is achieved by modulating the chalcogen composition and the interlayer distance of the ternary MoS2xSe2(1−x) alloys.