Co- and V-Doped MoS₂ Nanosheet Composites for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in the Universal pH Range

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Polyoxometalates (POMs) offer exceptional tunability for designing advanced materials.
• Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) is crucial for clean energy technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel organic molecule-modified POM containing three metals.
• To fabricate cobalt (Co) and vanadium (V)-doped molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)-based nanomaterials using the synthesized POM as a precursor.
• To evaluate the electrocatalytic performance and stability of the resulting nanomaterials for HER.

Main Methods:

• Modification of ammonium heptamolybdate via metal doping, organic modification, and cation exchange to synthesize a novel POM, [Co(NH3)6][Mo6VO18{(OCH2)3CH}2] (CoMo6V-H).
• Fabrication of Co- and V-doped MoS2-based nanomaterials supported on carbon cloth (Co, V-MoS2@CC) via a one-step hydrothermal method using the synthesized POM and thiourea.
• Electrochemical characterizations and measurements to assess HER performance and stability.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of the novel three-metal organic molecule-modified POM, CoMo6V-H.
• Fabrication of Co, V-MoS2@CC nanomaterials with enhanced catalytic activity due to Co and V doping.
• Achieved low overpotentials of 86 mV (alkaline) and 153 mV (acidic) at 10 mA/cm2 for HER.
• Demonstrated outstanding chemical stability of the catalyst over 72 hours.

Conclusions:

• Co and V doping significantly boosts the catalytic performance and stability of MoS2-based materials for HER.
• The synthesized Co, V-MoS2@CC presents a promising low-cost, highly efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen production.
• This work provides valuable insights for designing novel electrocatalytic materials.