Synergetic Effect and Phase Engineering by Formation of Ti₃C₂T_x Modified 2H/1T-MoSe₂ Composites for Enhanced HER

The typical semi conductivity and few active sites of hydrogen evolution of 2H MoSe₂ severely restrict its electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance. At the same time, the 1T MoSe₂ has metal conductivity and plentiful hydrogen evolution sites, making it feasible to optimize the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution behavior of MoSe₂ using phase engineering. In this study, we, through a simple one-step hydrothermal method, composed 1T/2H MoSe₂, and then used newly emerging transition metal carbides with several atomic-layer thicknesses Ti₃C₂T_x to improve the conductivity of a MoSe_2-based electrocatalyst. Finally, MoSe₂@Ti₃C₂T_x was successfully synthesized, according to the control of the additional amount of Ti₃C₂T_x, to form a proper MoSe₂/ Ti₃C₂T_x heterostructure with a better electrochemical HER performance. As obtained MoSe₂@4 mg-Ti₃C₂T_x achieved a low overpotential, a small Tafel slope and this work offers additional insight into broadened MoSe₂ and MXenes-based catalyst's electrochemical application.