Bottom-Up Synthesized MoS2 Interfacing Polymer Carbon Nanodots with Electrocatalytic Activity for Hydrogen Evolution

The preparation of an MoS₂–polymer carbon nanodot (MoS₂-PCND) hybrid material was accomplished by employing an easy and fast bottom-up synthetic approach. Specifically, MoS₂-PCND was realized by the thermal decomposition of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate and the in situ complexation of Mo with carboxylic acid units present on the surface of PCNDs. The newly prepared hybrid material was comprehensively characterized by spectroscopy, thermal means, and electron microscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of MoS₂-PCND was examined in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and compared with that of the corresponding hybrid material prepared by a top-down approach, namely MoS₂-PCND(exf-fun), in which MoS₂ was firstly exfoliated and then covalently functionalized with PCNDs. The MoS₂-PCND hybrid material showed superior electrocatalytic activity toward the HER with low Tafel slope, excellent electrocatalytic stability, and an onset potential of −0.16 V versus RHE. The superior catalytic performance of MoS₂-PCND was rationalized by considering the catalytically active sites of MoS₂, the effective charge/energy-transfer phenomena from PCNDs to MoS₂, and the synergetic effect between MoS₂ and PCNDs in the hybrid material.     

MoS2 Nanosheets Supported on 3D Graphene Aerogel as a Highly Efficient Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution

The development of efficient catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution is essential for energy conversion technologies. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has emerged as a promising electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction, and its performance greatly depends on its exposed edge sites and conductivity. Layered MoS₂ nanosheets supported on a 3D graphene aerogel network (GA‐MoS₂) exhibit significant catalytic activity in hydrogen evolution. The GA‐MoS₂ composite displays a unique 3D architecture with large active surface areas, leading to high catalytic performance with low overpotential, high current density, and good stability.     

Free‐standing and Flexible MoS2/rGO Paper Electrode for Amperometric Detection of Folic Acid

The development of flexible electrodes is of considerable current interest because of the increasing demand for modern electronics, portable medical products, and compact devices. We report a new type of flexible electrochemical sensor fabricated by integrating graphene and MoS₂ nanosheets. A highly flexible and free‐standing conductive MoS₂ nanosheets/reduced graphene oxide (MoS₂/rGO) paper was prepared by a two‐step process: vacuum filtration and chemical reduction treatment. The MoS₂/graphene oxide (MoS₂/GO) paper obtained by a simple filtration method was transformed into MoS₂/rGO paper after a chemical reduction process. The obtained MoS₂/rGO paper was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical behavior of folic acid (FA) on MoS₂/rGO paper electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. Electrochemical experiments indicated that flexible MoS₂/rGO composite paper electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the FA, which can be attributed to excellent electrical conductivity and high specific surface area of the MoS₂/rGO paper. The resulting biosensor showed highly sensitive amperometric response to FA with a wide linear range.     

Bifunctional Electrocatalyst with 0D/2D Heterostructure for Highly Efficient Hydrogen and Oxygen Generation

A novel MoS₂ quantum dots/CoSe₂ nanosheet (MoS₂ QDs/CoSe₂) hybrid with 0D/2D heterostructure has been developed. The CoSe₂ nanosheets (NSs) enable an excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity with increasing vacancy configuration on one hand, while the MoS₂ QDs serve as an eminent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst on the other. By integrating MoS₂ QDs and CoSe₂ NSs, the hybrid exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performances in HER and OER. The unique 0D/2D hetero‐interface increases the exposed active sites and facilitates electron transfer, thereby boosting the electrocatalytic activity. Relatively low overpotentials of 82 mV and 280 mV are required to drive the current density of 10 mA/cm² for HER and OER, with corresponding Tafel slopes of 69 and 75 mV/dec, respectively. As such, this work provides an efficient yet simple approach to construct bifunctional electrocatalysts with enhanced activity and stability.     

Ionic‐Liquid‐Mediated Active‐Site Control of MoS2 for the Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

The layered crystal MoS₂ has been proposed as an alternative to noble metals as the electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, the activity of this catalyst is limited by the number of available edge sites. It was previously shown that, by using an imidazolium ionic liquid as synthesis medium, nanometre‐size crystal layers of MoS₂ can be prepared which exhibit a very high number of active edge sites as well as a de‐layered morphology, both of which contribute to HER electrocatalytic activity. Herein, it is examined how to control these features synthetically by using a range of ionic liquids as synthesis media. Non‐coordinating ILs with a planar heterocyclic cation produced MoS₂ with the de‐layered morphology, which was subsequently shown to be highly advantageous for HER electrocatalytic activity. The results furthermore suggest that the crystallinity, and in turn the catalytic activity, of the MoS₂ layers can be improved by employing an IL with specific solvation properties. These results provide the basis for a synthetic strategy for increasing the HER electrocatalytic activity of MoS₂ by tuning its crystal properties, and thus improving its potential for use in hydrogen production technologies.     

二硫化钼纳米片/碳纳米纤维杂化材料的制备及其析氢性能

以碳纳米纤维(CNFs)作为负载基体和反应器采用静电纺丝技术和碳化工艺生长和调控二硫化钼(MoS_2)纳米片。通过改变前驱体溶液浓度来调控纳米片的形貌和结构,利用MoS_2纳米片的高催化活性和CNFs高比表面积、良好的稳定性以及高电导率的协同作用,研究不同形貌和结构的杂化纳米材料在电催化析氢方面的应用,探索杂化材料形貌与性能之间的潜在规律。运用多种分析测试技术对制备得到的纳米杂化材料进行表征,并对所制备的MoS_2/CNFs杂化材料的电催化析氢性能(HER)进行研究,研究表明近似皮芯结构的MoS_2/CNFs-10杂化材料的电催化析氢性能最好,初始析氢过电位在220 mV,Tafel斜率为110m V·dec~(-1)。     

二硫化钼纳米片/碳纳米纤维杂化材料的制备及其析氢性能

以碳纳米纤维（CNFs）作为负载基体和反应器采用静电纺丝技术和碳化工艺生长和调控二硫化钼（MoS₂）纳米片。通过改变前驱体溶液浓度来调控纳米片的形貌和结构,利用MoS₂纳米片的高催化活性和CNFs高比表面积、良好的稳定性以及高电导率的协同作用,研究不同形貌和结构的杂化纳米材料在电催化析氢方面的应用,探索杂化材料形貌与性能之间的潜在规律。运用多种分析测试技术对制备得到的纳米杂化材料进行表征,并对所制备的MoS₂/CNFs杂化材料的电催化析氢性能（HER）进行研究,研究表明近似皮芯结构的MoS₂/CNFs-10杂化材料的电催化析氢性能最好,初始析氢过电位在220 mV,Tafel斜率为110 mV·dec^-1。     

Ultrathin MoS2 Nanosheets Supported on N‐doped Carbon Nanoboxes with Enhanced Lithium Storage and Electrocatalytic Properties

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has received considerable interest for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. In this work, we have designed and synthesized a unique hybrid hollow structure by growing ultrathin MoS₂ nanosheets on N‐doped carbon shells (denoted as C@MoS₂ nanoboxes). The N‐doped carbon shells can greatly improve the conductivity of the hybrid structure and effectively prevent the aggregation of MoS₂ nanosheets. The ultrathin MoS₂ nanosheets could provide more active sites for electrochemical reactions. When evaluated as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries, these C@MoS₂ nanoboxes show high specific capacity of around 1000 mAh g^?1, excellent cycling stability up to 200 cycles, and superior rate performance. Moreover, they also show enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution.     

Controlled Synthesis of Ni-Doped MoS2 Hybrid Electrode for Synergistically Enhanced Water-Splitting Process

The development of high-efficiency, low-cost, and earth-abundant electrocatalysts for overall water splitting remains a challenge. In this work, Ni-modified MoS₂ hybrid catalysts are grown on carbon cloth (Ni-Mo-S@CC) through a one-step hydrothermal treatment. The optimized Ni-Mo-S@CC catalyst shows excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with a low overpotential of 168 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in 1.0 m KOH, which is lower than those of Ni-Mo-S@CC (1:1), Ni-Mo-S@CC (3:1), and pure MoS₂. Significantly, the Ni-Mo-S@CC hybrid catalyst also displays outstanding oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity with a low overpotential of 320 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², and remarkable long-term stability for 30 h at a constant current density of 10 mA cm⁻². Experimental results and theoretical analysis based on density functional theory demonstrate that the excellent electrocatalytic performance can be attributed mainly to the remarkable conductivity, abundant active sites, and synergistic effect of the Ni-doped MoS₂. This work sheds light on a unique strategy for the design of high-performance and stable electrocatalysts for water-splitting electrolyzers.     

3D Carbon Foam Supported Edge-Rich N-Doped MoS2 Nanoflakes for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is one of the most promising alternatives to the Pt-based electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, its performance is currently limited by insufficient active edge sites and poor electron transport. Hence, enormous efforts have been devoted to constructing more active edge sites and improving conductivity to obtain enhanced electrocatalytic performance. Herein, the 3D carbon foam (denoted as CF) supported edge-rich N-doped MoS₂ nanoflakes were successfully fabricated by using the commercially available polyurethane foam (PU) as the 3D substrate and PMo₁₂O₄₀³⁻ clusters (denoted as PMo₁₂) as the Mo source through redox polymerization, followed by sulfurization. Owing to the uniform distribution of nanoscale Mo sources and 3D carbon foam substrate, the as-prepared MoS₂-CF composite possessed well-exposed active edge sites and enhanced electrical conductivity. Systematic investigation demonstrated that the MoS₂-CF composite showed high HER performance with a low overpotential of 92 mV in 1.0 m KOH and 155 mV in 0.5 m H₂SO₄ at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻². This work offers a new pathway for the rational design of MoS₂-based HER electrocatalysts.     

Electrochemically exfoliated Ni-doped MoS2 nanosheets for highly efficient hydrogen evolution and Zn-H2O battery

Thanks to tunable physical and chemical properties, two-dimensional (2D) materials have received intensive interest, endowing their excellent electrocatalytic performances for applications in energy conversion. However, their catalytic activities are largely determined by poor adsorption energy and limited active edge sites. Herein, a one-step electrochemical exfoliation strategy was developed to fabricate 2D Ni-doped MoS₂ nanosheets (Ni-EX-MoS₂) with a lateral size of ～500 nm and thickness of ～3.5 nm. Profiting from high electrical conductivity and abundant exposing active sites, Ni-EX-MoS₂ catalyst displayed an admirable performance for electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with a low overpotential of 145 mV at 10 mA/cm² as well as a small Tafel slope of 89 mV/dec in alkaline media, which are superior to those of the most reported MoS₂-based electrocatalysts. The formed Ni species with tuning electronic structure played a crucial role as primary active center of Ni-EX-MoS₂, as well as the forming stable 1T/2H phase MoS₂ interface demonstrated a synergistic effect on electrocatalytic HER performance. Further, Ni-EX-MoS₂ was employed as a cathode electrode for alkaline Zn-H₂O battery, which displayed a high power density of 3.3 mW/cm² with excellent stability. This work will provide a simple and effective guideline for design of electrochemically exfoliated transition metal-doped MoS₂ nanosheets to inspire their practical applications in energy catalytic and storage.     

Three‐Dimensional MoS2 Hierarchical Nanoarchitectures Anchored into a Carbon Layer as Graphene Analogues with Improved Lithium Ion Storage Performance

Much attention has recently been focused on the synthesis and application of graphene analogues of layered nanomaterials owing to their better electrochemical performance than the bulk counterparts. We synthesized graphene analogue of 3D MoS₂ hierarchical nanoarchitectures through a facile hydrothermal route. The graphene‐like MoS₂ nanosheets are uniformly dispersed in an amorphous carbon matrix produced in situ by hydrothermal carbonization. The interlaminar distance between the MoS₂ nanosheets is about 1.38 nm, which is far larger than that of bulk MoS₂ (0.62 nm). Such a layered architecture is especially beneficial for the intercalation and deintercalation of Li⁺. When tested as a lithium‐storage anode material, the graphene‐like MoS₂ hierarchical nanoarchitectures exhibit high specific capacity, superior rate capability, and enhanced cycling performance. This material shows a high reversible capacity of 813.5 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 1000 mA g^?1 after 100 cycles and a specific capacity as high as 600 mAh g^?1 could be retained even at a current density of 4000 mA g^?1. The results further demonstrate that constructing 3D graphene‐like hierarchical nanoarchitectures can effectively improve the electrochemical performance of electrode materials.     

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase on sulfonated graphene/gold nanoparticle hybrid and its application to glucose biosensing

Sulfonated graphene nanosheet/gold nanoparticle (SGN/Au) hybrid was synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly of anionic SGN and positively charged gold nanoparticles. Due to the well-dispersivity of SGN in aqueous solution and its adequate negative charge, Au nanoparticles were assembled uniformly on graphene surface with high distribution. With the advantages of both graphene and Au nanoparticles, SGN/Au hybrid showed enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards O₂ reduction. Furthermore, it provided a conductive and favorable microenvironment for the glucose oxidase (GOD) immobilization and thus promoted its direct electron transfer at the glassy carbon electrode. Based on the consumption of O₂ caused by glucose at the interface of GOD electrode modified with SGN/Au hybrid, the modified electrode displayed satisfactory analytical performance, including high sensitivity (14.55 μA mM^?1 cm^?2), low detection limit (0.2 mM), an acceptable linear range from 2 to 16 mM, and also the prevention from the interference of some species. These results indicated that the prepared SGN/Au hybrid is a promising candidate material for high-performance glucose biosensor.     

Coordination Chemistry of [Co(acac)2] with N‐Doped Graphene: Implications for Oxygen Reduction Reaction Reactivity of Organometallic Co‐O4‐N Species

Hybridization of organometallic complexes with graphene‐based materials can give rise to enhanced catalytic performance. Understanding the chemical structures within hybrid materials is of primary importance. In this work, archetypical hybrid materials are synthesized by the reaction of an organometallic complex, [Co^II(acac)₂] (acac=acetylacetonate), with N‐doped graphene‐based materials at room temperature. Experimental characterization of the hybrid materials and theoretical calculations reveal that the organometallic cobalt‐containing species is coordinated to heterocyclic groups in N‐doped graphene as well as to its parental acac ligands. The hybrid material shows high electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media, and superior durability and methanol tolerance to a Pt/C catalyst. Based on the chemical structures and ORR experiments, the catalytically active species is identified as a Co‐O₄‐N structure.     

Electrochemical and oxygen reduction properties of pristine and nitrogen-doped few layered graphene nanoflakes (FLGs)

Vertically aligned few layered graphene (FLGs) nanoflakes were synthesized by microwave plasma deposition for various time durations ranging from 30 to 600 s to yield graphene films of varying morphology, microstructure and areal/edge density. Their intrinsic electrochemical properties were explored using Fe(CN)₆ ^3?/4? and Ru(NH₃)₆ ^3+/2+ redox species. All the FLG electrodes demonstrate fast electron transfer kinetics with near ideal ΔEp values of 60–65 mV. Using a relationship between electron transfer rate and edge plane density, an estimation of the edge plane density was carried out which revealed a moderation of edge plane density with increase in growth time. The pristine FLGs also possess excellent electrocatalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solutions. This ORR activity can be further enhanced by exposing the pristine FLGs to nitrogen electron cyclotron resonance plasma. The metal free N-doped FLGs exhibit much higher electrocatalytic activity towards ORR than pristine FLGs with higher durability and selectivity than Pt-based catalysts. The excellent electrochemical performance of N-doped FLGs is explained in terms of enhanced edge plane exposure, high content of pyridinic nitrogen and an increase in the electronic density of states.     

Preparation of MoS2‐graphene Hybrid Nanosheets and Simultaneously Electrochemical Determination of Levodopa and Uric Acid

MoS₂ nanoflakes were prepared by exfoliating commercial MoS₂ powders with the assistance of ultrasound and graphene foam was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition using nickel foam as the template. MoS₂‐graphene hybrid nanosheets were developed through the combination of MoS₂ nanoflakes and graphene nanosheets by ultrasonic dispersion. The hybrid nanosheets were sprayed onto the ITO coated glass, which acts as an electrode for the simultaneously electrochemical determination of levodopa and uric acid. The MoS₂‐graphene hybrid nanosheets were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the hybrid nanosheets are composed of MoS₂ and graphene with a sheet‐like morphology. The sensitivity of the electrode for levodopa and uric acid is 0.36 μA μM⁻¹ and 0.39 μA μM⁻¹, respectively. The electrode also shows low limit of detection, good selectivity, reproducibility and stability. And it is potential for use in clinical research.     

Vertical crosslinking MoS2/three-dimensional graphene composite towards high performance supercapacitor

The vertical crosslinking MoS₂/three-dimensional graphene composite has been prepared by hydrothermal method, which delivered a superior and stable electrochemical capacitive performance.     

Tuning the Intrinsic Activity and Electrochemical Surface Area of MoS2 via Tiny Zn Doping: Toward an Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) Catalyst

Molybdenum sulfide (MoS₂) is considered as an alternative material for commercial platinum catalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Improving the apparent HER activity of MoS₂ to a level comparable to that of Pt is an essential premise for the commercial use of MoS₂. In this work, a Zn-doping strategy is proposed to enhance the HER performance of MoS₂. It is shown that tiny Zn doping into MoS₂ leads to the enhancement of the electrochemical surface area, increases in proportion of HER active 1T phase in the material and formation of catalytic sites of higher intrinsic activity. These benefits result in a high-performance HER electrocatalyst with a low overpotential of 190 mV(@10 mA cm⁻²) and a low Tafel slope of 58 mV dec⁻¹. The origin for the excellent electrochemical performance of the doped MoS₂ is rationalized with both experimental and theoretical investigations.     

MoS2/WS2‐Graphene Composites through Thermal Decomposition of Tetrathiomolybdate/Tetrathiotungstate for Proton/Oxygen Electroreduction

MoS₂ and WS₂ have been prepared on a conductive graphene support by thermal reduction of tetrathiotungstate/tetrathiomolybdate and graphite oxide. Whereas the catalytic properties towards hydrogen evolution are strongly influenced by the Magnéli phases formed as a byproduct during the synthesis, the catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction of these composite materials is not affected by this phenomenon and these materials exhibit high catalytic activity towards this industrially important reaction.     

Hierarchical MoS2@TiO2 Heterojunctions for Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance and Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Hierarchical MoS₂@TiO₂ heterojunctions were synthesized through a one‐step hydrothermal method by using protonic titanate nanosheets as the precursor. The TiO₂ nanosheets prevent the aggregation of MoS₂ and promote the carrier transfer efficiency, and thus enhance the photocatalytic and electrocatalytic activity of the nanostructured MoS₂. The obtained MoS₂@TiO₂ has significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B (over 5.2 times compared with pure MoS₂) and acetone (over 2.8 times compared with pure MoS₂). MoS₂@TiO₂ is also beneficial for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution (26 times compared with pure MoS₂, based on the cathodic current density). This work offers a promising way to prevent the self‐aggregation of MoS₂ and provides a new insight for the design of heterojunctions for materials with lattice mismatches.