Fabrication of graphene-based electrode in less than a minute through hybrid microwave annealing

Highly efficient and stable MoS2 nanocrystals on graphene sheets (MoS2/GR) are synthesized via a hybrid microwave annealing process. Through only 45 second-irradiation using a household microwave oven equipped with a graphite susceptor, crystallization of MoS2 and thermal reduction of graphene oxide into graphene are achieved, indicating that our synthetic method is ultrafast and energy-economic. Graphene plays a crucial role as an excellent microwave absorber as well as an ideal support material that mediates the growth of MoS2 nanocrystals. The formed MoS2/GR electrocatalyst exhibits high activity of hydrogen evolution reaction with small onset overpotential of 0.1 V and Tafel slope of 50 mV per decade together with an excellent stability in acid media. Thus our hybrid microwave annealing could be an efficient generic method to fabricate various graphene-based hybrid electric materials for broad applications.