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Published on: December 6, 2021
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Rhenium anchored Ti3C2T (MXene) nanosheets for electrocatalytic hydrogen production
Selengesuren Suragtkhuu1,2, Suvdanchimeg Sunderiya1, Solongo Purevdorj1
1Department of Chemistry, Division of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, National University of Mongolia Ulaanbaatar 14200 Mongolia sarangerel@num.edu.mn.
Nanoscale Advances
|February 9, 2023
Summary
Rhenium nanoparticles on titanium carbide MXene nanosheets efficiently catalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This Re@Ti3C2Tx electrocatalyst shows enhanced activity and stability for hydrogen production.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Atomically thin Ti3C2Tx (MXene) nanosheets possess rich termination groups suitable for functionalization.
- MXenes serve as effective supports for catalytic nanoparticles.
- The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for clean energy production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for HER using MXene as a support.
- To investigate the synergistic effects of rhenium (Re) nanoparticles anchored on Ti3C2Tx MXene.
- To evaluate the catalytic performance and stability of the novel Re@Ti3C2Tx electrocatalyst.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of rhenium nanoparticles anchored on Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets (Re@Ti3C2Tx).
- Electrochemical characterization of Re@Ti3C2Tx and pristine Ti3C2Tx for HER.
- Stability testing of the electrocatalysts under ambient conditions.
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to understand the HER mechanism.
Main Results:
- Re@Ti3C2Tx exhibited a low overpotential of 298 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for HER, significantly lower than pristine Ti3C2Tx (584 mV).
- The Re@Ti3C2Tx electrocatalyst demonstrated excellent stability, retaining 100% activity after 30 days, while pristine Ti3C2Tx retained only 74.8%.
- DFT calculations revealed a near-zero Gibbs free energy for hydrogen adsorption (ΔGH* = -0.06 eV) on Re@Ti3C2Tx, indicating enhanced catalytic activity.
Conclusions:
- Rhenium nanoparticles anchored on Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets represent a promising electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction.
- The synergistic interaction between Re and MXene significantly enhances electrocatalytic activity and stability.
- This work presents a facile strategy for developing efficient electrocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production.
