Single‐Atom‐Layer Catalysis in a MoS2 Monolayer Activated by Long‐Range Ferromagnetism for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Beyond Single‐Atom Catalysis

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie 2021-03, Vol.133 (13), p.7327-7334
• Main Authors: Duan, Hengli, Wang, Chao, Li, Guinan, Tan, Hao, Hu, Wei, Cai, Liang, Liu, Wei, Li, Na, Ji, Qianqian, Wang, Yao, Lu, Ying, Yan, Wensheng, Hu, Fengchun, Zhang, Wenhua, Sun, Zhihu, Qi, Zeming, Song, Li, Wei, Shiqiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basal plane; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemistry; Current density; Electrochemistry; Ferromagnetism; hydrogen evolution reaction; Hydrogen evolution reactions; Infrared spectroscopy; Molybdenum disulfide; Monolayers; MoS2; Multilayers; Radiation; Single atom catalysts; single-atom-layer catalysis; Synchrotron radiation; Synchrotrons; XAFS
• ISSN: 0044-8249; 1521-3757
• DOI: 10.1002/ange.202014968

Single‐atom‐layer catalysts with fully activated basal‐atoms will provide a solution to the low loading‐density bottleneck of single‐atom catalysts. Herein, we activate the majority of the basal sites of monolayer MoS2, by doping Co ions to induce long‐range ferromagnetic order. This strategy, as revealed by in situ synchrotron radiation microscopic infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements, could activate more than 50 % of the originally inert basal‐plane S atoms in the ferromagnetic monolayer for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Consequently, on a single monolayer of ferromagnetic MoS2 measured by on‐chip micro‐cell, a current density of 10 mA cm−2 could be achieved at the overpotential of 137 mV, corresponding to a mass activity of 28, 571 Ag−1, which is two orders of magnitude higher than the multilayer counterpart. Its exchange current density of 75 μA cm−2 also surpasses most other MoS2‐based catalysts. Experimental results and theoretical calculations show the activation of basal plane S atoms arises from an increase of electronic density around the Fermi level, promoting the H adsorption ability of basal‐plane S atoms. A possible way to trigger hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of the basal‐plane sites and make a MoS2 monolayer a single‐atom‐layer catalyst, is through long‐range ferromagnetism order induced by magnetic cobalt ion doping. The effect of the doping promotes the hydrogen adsorption ability of basal S sites.