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A Metal-Organic Frameworks Derived 1T-MoS2 with Expanded Layer Spacing for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Hydrogen
Hang Zhang1, Hualan Xu2, Lei Wang1
1Key Lab of Fluorine and Silicon for Energy Materials and Chemistry of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, P. R. China.
Researchers developed a novel method to create molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) catalysts with expanded spacing, enhancing their efficiency for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This advancement offers a new strategy for designing high-performance electrocatalysts.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Metal phase molybdenum disulfide (1T-MoS2) is a promising electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
- Its catalytic activity is attributed to activated basal planes and superior electrical conductivity.
- However, enhancing these properties further is crucial for practical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, one-step synthesis for 1T-MoS2 with expanded layer spacing.
- To investigate the effect of expanded spacing on HER catalytic activity.
- To provide a new strategy for designing high-performance 2D material catalysts.
Main Methods:
- A one-step solvothermal route using a Mo-based organic framework (Mo-MOFs) was employed.
- N,N-dimethylformamide oxide was used as an external stressor to expand the interplanar spacing of MoS2.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to understand the electronic structure changes.
Main Results:
- The synthesis successfully produced 1T-MoS2 with an expanded (002) interplanar spacing of 10.87 Å, the largest reported for bottom-up synthesized 1T-MoS2.
- Theoretical calculations confirmed that expanded crystal planes modify the electronic structure and lower proton adsorption-desorption potentials.
- The optimal 1T-MoS2 catalyst achieved a low overpotential of 98 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² for HER with a Tafel slope of 52 mV dec⁻¹.
Conclusions:
- The Mo-MOFs-derived strategy effectively expands the layer spacing of 1T-MoS2.
- Expanded layer spacing significantly enhances the HER catalytic activity of 1T-MoS2.
- This approach offers a viable pathway for designing advanced 2D material catalysts by tuning interlayer distances.
