Engineering additional edge sites on molybdenum dichalcogenides toward accelerated alkaline hydrogen evolution

Qian Zhou1, Guoqiang Zhao, Kun Rui

  • 1Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. xun@uow.edu.au wenping@uow.edu.au.

Nanoscale
|December 20, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Developing efficient, precious metal-free catalysts for alkaline water electrolysis is crucial. This study shows that transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterostructures with abundant edge sites significantly boost the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics in alkaline media.

Related Concept Videos

Conserved Binding Sites01:49

Conserved Binding Sites

Many proteins’ biological role depends on their interactions with their ligands, small molecules that bind to specific locations on the protein known as ligand-binding sites. Ligand-binding sites are often conserved among homologous proteins as these sites are critical for protein function.
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally...
5.2K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
48.1K
Ligand Binding Sites02:40

Ligand Binding Sites

Proteins are dynamic macromolecules that carry out a wide variety of essential processes; however, the activities of most proteins depend on their interactions with other molecules or ions, known as ligands.
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
15.1K
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
32.9K
Hydrogen Bonds00:26

Hydrogen Bonds

Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions between atoms that have formed other chemical bonds. One of these atoms is electronegative, like oxygen, and has a partial negative charge. The other is a hydrogen atom that has bonded with another electronegative atom and has a partial positive charge.
Hydrogen Bonds Control the World!
Because hydrogen has very weak electronegativity when it binds with a strongly electronegative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen, electrons in the bond are unequally shared....
133.2K
Electrophilic Addition of HX to 1,3-Butadiene: Thermodynamic vs Kinetic Control01:23

Electrophilic Addition of HX to 1,3-Butadiene: Thermodynamic vs Kinetic Control

The addition of a hydrogen halide to 1,3-butadiene gives a mixture of 1,2- and 1,4-adducts. Since more substituted alkenes are more stable, the 1,4-adduct is expected to be the major product. However, the product distribution is strongly influenced by temperature; low temperature favors the 1,2-adduct, whereas the 1,4-adduct is predominant at high temperature.
3.7K