Super-stable SnO₂/MoS₂ enhanced the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in acidic environments

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Catalyst stability is a critical challenge for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution in acidic media.
• Developing robust and efficient catalysts is essential for advancing hydrogen energy technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a highly stable and active electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic environments.
• To investigate the role of interface engineering in enhancing catalyst performance and durability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a SnO2/MoS2 coupled nanosheet array on carbon cloth (CC@SnO2/MoS2).
• Electrocatalytic performance testing for HER, including overpotential and current density measurements.
• Utilizing various characterization techniques and theoretical calculations to analyze catalyst properties.

Main Results:

• The CC@SnO2/MoS2 catalyst exhibited an overpotential of 166 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for HER.
• Interface engineering accelerated electron transport and leveraged S defects in MoS2, improving conductivity and catalytic activity.
• An *in situ* formed SnO2 interface layer enhanced material surface stability and hydrophilicity.

Conclusions:

• The developed SnO2/MoS2 catalyst offers superior stability and activity for HER in acid electrolytes.
• Interface engineering is a promising strategy for designing efficient and durable electrocatalysts.
• The study provides new perspectives for the development of next-generation hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts.