Transition metal dichalcogenide thin films for solar hydrogen production

In the last three decades, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been extensively studied for electronic, photonic, and energy applications. Different efforts are directed to find a holy grail of efficient and economically feasible materials that could be simple in production and available on a large scale. The interest in TMDs (MoS₂, WS₂, MoSe₂, WSe₂) stems from their suitable electronic structure for efficient solar light absorption and simple exfoliation technique of 2D crystallites due to the van der Waals bonding of these materials. This led to various designs and combinations of 2D single layers that could form heterojunctions and multijunctions for efficient light absorption, charge carrier generation/separation, and its transfer in optoelectronic and energy harvesting devices. Herein, TMD thin films are reviewed as photoelectrodes for solar hydrogen evolution and compared to that of other more developed materials.     

Directly Imaging and Regulating the Nanoscale Inhomogeneity of S-Vacancies in Molybdenum Disulfide Monolayer during Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

The study of electron transfer event on two-dimensional (2D) layered transition metal dichalcogenides has attracted tremendous attentions attributing to their promising applications in electrochemical devices. Herein, we demonstrate an opto-electrochemical strategy to directly map and regulate electron transfer event on molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) monolayer by combining bright field (BF) imaging technique with electrochemical modulation. The heterogeneity of electrochemical activity on MoS₂ monolayer down to nanoscale is resolved spatiotemporally. The thermodynamics of MoS₂ monolayer is measured during electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and the Arrhenius correlations are obtained. We validate that the defect generation engineered by oxygen plasma bombardment dramatically enhances the local electrochemical activity of MoS₂ monolayer, which can be attributed to point defects of S-vacancies as evidenced. Furthermore, by comparing the difference of electron transfer event on MoS₂ with various layers, the interlayer coupling effect is uncovered. This study represents a facile method to image the heterogeneity of electrochemical properties for nanomaterials with atomic thickness and regulate the local activity within the plane by extrinsic factors. It also has potential applications in the design and evaluation of high-performance layered electrochemical systems down to nanoscale.     

Vanadium‐Doped WS2 Nanosheets Grown on Carbon Cloth as a Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Two‐dimensional transition‐metal dichalcogenides have been widely studied as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, limited active sites and poor conductivity hinder their application. To solve these disadvantages, heteroatom doping has attracted wide attention because it can not only increase the active sites but also affect the intrinsic catalytic properties of the electrocatalyst. Herein, we grew vanadium‐doped WS₂ nanosheets on carbon cloth (V‐WS₂/CC) as an electrocatalyst for HER under acidic and alkaline conditions. With a proper vanadium doping concentration, the electrochemical surface areas of V_0.065‐WS₂/CC were 9.6 and 2.6 times as large as that of pure WS₂ electrocatalyst under acidic and alkaline conditions, respectively. In addition, the charge‐transfer resistance also decreased with moderate vanadium doping. Based on this, the synthesized vanadium‐doped WS₂ nanosheets exhibited good stability with high HER catalytic activity and could reach a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² at overpotentials of 148 and 134 mV in 0.5 m H₂SO₄ and 1 m KOH, respectively. The corresponding Tafel slopes were 71 and 85 mV dec⁻¹. Therefore, our synthesized vanadium‐doped WS₂ nanosheets can be a promising electrocatalyst for the production of hydrogen over a wide pH range.     

Suppression of the Charge Density Wave State in Two‐Dimensional 1T‐TiSe2 by Atmospheric Oxidation

Two‐dimensional (2D) metallic transition‐metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), such as 1T ‐TiSe₂, have recently emerged as unique platforms for exploring their exciting properties of superconductivity and the charge density wave (CDW). 2D 1T ‐TiSe₂ undergoes rapid oxidation under ambient conditions, significantly affecting its CDW phase‐transition behavior. We comprehensively investigate the oxidation process of 2D TiSe₂ by tracking the evolution of the chemical composition and atomic structure with various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques and reveal its unique selenium‐assisting oxidation mechanism. Our findings facilitate a better understanding of the chemistry of ultrathin TMDCs crystals, introduce an effective method to passivate their surfaces with capping layers, and thus open a way to further explore the functionality of these materials toward devices.     

Advances in transition metal dichalcogenide-based two-dimensional nanomaterials

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are the layered materials that have gained substantial consideration in a wide range of applications. The TMDCs possess exceptional properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio, excellent charge transfer capacity, mechanical strength, and low bandgap energy. Additionally, TMDCs (MoS₂, WS₂, etc.) are abundant, have a low synthesis cost, and are visible-light-active. The appealing surface morphologies and properties of TMDCs make them an appropriate choice for diverse applications like photocatalytic degradation of hazardous pollutants, energy conversion reactions (electrocatalytic and photocatalytic H₂ production), and energy storage devices (supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries) in addition to bio/chemical sensors. This article addresses the latest trends and advancements in the domain of TMDC-based nanomaterials. The different synthesis routes have been comprehensively reviewed. The challenges faced by TMDCs at a large scale and the future scope have also been discussed.     

Ping‐Pong Energy Transfer in Covalently Linked Porphyrin‐MoS2 Architectures

Molybdenum disulfide nanosheets covalently modified with porphyrin were prepared and fully characterized. Neither the porphyrin absorption nor its fluorescence was notably affected by covalent linkage to MoS₂. The use of transient absorption spectroscopy showed that a complex ping‐pong energy‐transfer mechanism, namely from the porphyrin to MoS₂ and back to the porphyrin, operated. This study reveals the potential of transition‐metal dichalcogenides in photosensitization processes.     

Layered Crystalline and Amorphous Platinum Disulfide (PtS2): Contrasting Electrochemistry

Group 6 transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), such as MoS₂ and WS₂ have been extensively studied for various applications while few studies have delved into other TMDs such as platinum dichalcogenides. In this work, layered crystalline and amorphous platinum disulfide (PtS₂) were synthesized, characterised and their fundamental electrochemical properties were investigated. Both materials exhibited inherent oxidation and reduction reactions which would limit their operating potential window for sensing applications. Amorphous phase materials are considered to be promising electrocatalysts due to the porous, and nanostructured morphology with high concentration of unsaturated active sites. The electrocatalytic performances towards oxygen reduction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) of crystalline and amorphous PtS₂ were analysed. Amorphous PtS₂ was found to exhibit superior electrocatalytic performances towards ORR and HER as compared to crystalline PtS₂. For HER, amorphous and crystalline PtS₂ have overpotential values of 0.30 V and 0.70 V (vs. RHE) at current density of 10 mA cm⁻², respectively. The influence of electrochemical reduction pre-treatment on their catalytic behaviours was also investigated. Electrochemical reduction pre-treatment on both crystalline and amorphous PtS₂ removed the oxidized sulfate groups and increased the proportion of Pt⁰ oxidation state which exposed more catalytic sites. As such, these materials were activated and displayed improved ORR and HER performances. Electrochemically reduced amorphous PtS₂ outperformed the untreated counterparts and exhibited the best HER performance with overpotential of 0.17 V (vs. RHE) at current density of −10 mA cm⁻². These findings provide insights into the electrochemical properties of noble metal PtS₂ in both crystalline and amorphous states which can be activated by electrochemical reduction pre-treatment.     

Ge2H2 a π-ligand in organometallic chemistry

η² π-Complexes of Ge₂H₂ with the organometallic fragments V(PH₃)₂(I)(CO)₂, Cr(CO)₄, Co(PH₃)₂(Cl) and M(PH₃)₂ (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) have been studied at the B3LYP level using the SBKJC relativistic effective core potentials and their associated basis sets on metals and iodine, and the 6-31G(d) basis set on all other elements. The transition metal fragments of V, Cr, Co, Ni, Pd and Pt were chosen based on known alkyne compounds. All the complexes are local minima for both the HGeGeH and GeGeH₂ isomers of the Ge₂H₂ ligand. The complexes containing GeGeH₂ isomer as a ligand are lower in energy than those with the HGeGeH ligand (except in the V complex in which the difference is only 1.0 kcal/mol). There is a net charge transfer from ligand to metal in complexes V-Co and from metal to ligand in late transition metal complexes (Ni-Pt).     

Zur Kenntnis der Dialkalimetalldichalkogenide β-Na2S2, K2S2, α-Rb2S2, β-Rb2S2, K2Se2, Rb2Se2, α-K2Te2, β-K2Te2 und Rb2Te2

On Dialkali Metal Dichalcogenides β-Na₂S₂, K₂S₂, α-Rb₂S₂, β-Rb₂S₂, K₂Se₂, Rb₂Se₂, α-K₂Te₂, β-K₂Te₂ and Rb₂Te₂ The first presentation of pure samples of α- and β-Rb₂S₂, α- and β-K₂Te₂, and Rb₂Te₂ is described. Using single crystals of K₂S₂ and K₂Se₂, received by ammonothermal synthesis, the structure of the Na₂O₂ type and by using single crystals of β-Na₂S₂ and β-K₂Te₂ the Li₂O₂ type structure will be refined. By combined investigations with temperature-dependent Guinier-, neutron diffraction-, thermal analysis, and Raman-spectroscopy the nature of the monotropic phase transition from the Na₂O₂ type to the Li₂O₂ type will be explained by means of the examples α-/β-Na₂S₂ and α-/β-K₂Te₂. A further case of dimorphic condition as well as the monotropic phase transition of α- and β-Rb₂S₂ is presented. The existing areas of the structure fields of the dialkali metal dichalcogenides are limited by the model of the polar covalence.     

Electrochemical properties of La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 − δ –La0.45Ce0.55O2 − δ composite cathodes for intermediate temperature SOFC

The electrochemical properties of La_0.8Sr_0.2FeO_3???δ (LSF)–La_0.45Ce_0.55O_2???δ (LDC) composite cathodes coated on LSGM electrolyte were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cathodic polarization technique. Results showed that the composite cathodes possessed superior electrochemical performance compared to that of pure LSF cathode. The cathodic overpotential of Cathode C was only 100 mV at 0.3 A cm^?2, and the charge transfer resistance and the gas phase diffusion resistance were decreased to 0.105 Ω cm² and 0.257 Ω cm², respectively at 800 °C. The improvement of the electrochemical performance is contributed to the increase of the triple-phase boundary, enlargement of the effective area for electrode reaction, and increase of the porosity of the cathode by adding LDC to the cathode material.     

Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy: High-resolution structure−property studies of mono- and polycrystalline electrode materials

Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is a nanopipette-based scanning electrochemical probe microscopy technique that utilises a mobile droplet cell to measure and visualise electrode activity with high spatiotemporal resolution. This article spotlights the use of SECCM for studying the electrochemistry of crystalline electrode materials, ranging from well-defined monocrystals (e.g., transition metal dichalcogenides: MoS₂, WS₂ and WSe₂) to structurally/compositionally heterogeneous polycrystals (e.g., polycrystalline Pt, Au, Pd, Cu, Zn, low carbon steel, boron-doped diamond) and covering the diverse areas of (photo)electrocatalysis, corrosion science, surface science and electroanalysis. In particular, it is emphasised how nanoscale-resolved information from SECCM is readily related to electrode structure and properties, collected at a commensurate scale with complementary, co-located microscopy/spectroscopy techniques, to allow structure–property relationships to be assigned directly and unambiguously.     

A rationally designed two-dimensional MoSe2/Ti2CO2 heterojunction for photocatalytic overall water splitting: simultaneously suppressing electron–hole recombination and photocorrosion

Electron–hole recombination and photocorrosion are two challenges that seriously limit the application of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) for photocatalytic water splitting. In this work, we propose a 2D van der Waals MoSe₂/Ti₂CO₂ heterojunction that features promising resistance to both electron–hole recombination and photocorrosion existing in TMDs. By means of first-principles calculations, the MoSe₂/Ti₂CO₂ heterojunction is demonstrated to be a direct Z-scheme photocatalyst for overall water splitting with MoSe₂ and Ti₂CO₂ serving as photocatalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions, respectively, which is beneficial to electron–hole separation. The ultrafast migration of photo-generated holes from MoSe₂ to Ti₂CO₂ as well as the anti-photocorrosion ability of Ti₂CO₂ are responsible for photocatalytic stability. This heterojunction is experimentally reachable and exhibits a high solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 12%. The strategy proposed here paves the way for developing 2D photocatalysts for water splitting with high performance and stability in experiments.

The two challenges of electron–hole recombination and photocorrosion for two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides in the application of photocatalytic water splitting are simultaneously suppressed by rational design of heterojunctions.     

In-situ formation of 2H phase MoS2/cerium-zirconium oxide nanohybrid for potential electrochemical detection of an anticancer drug flutamide

The developing field of sensors is highly motivated and attracted by two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with transition metal oxide integration. Initially, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), one among the TMDs with cerium-zirconium oxide (CZO), was one-pot synthesized via hydrothermal method for sensing flutamide (FLD). The as-synthesized hybrid nanocomposite was characterized to understand their physical and chemical presence. MoS₂-CZO was well assigned with crystalline nature observed from X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirms the irregularly arranged nanoparticles wrapped with MoS₂ sheets. The wide surface area with more electroactive sites has provided higher conductance of the MoS₂-CZO/glassy carbon electrode. The limit of detection was 0.005 μM with a linear range of 0.019 μM to 668.5 μM, sensitivity 0.353 μA μM?1 cm^?2. The practical feasibility was analyzed with human urine and river water samples, whereas the obtained results showed excellent FLD detection. The fabricated MoS₂-CZO with all these distinguished analyses will be an outbreak in the field of electrochemical sensors.     

Impedance study on the correlation between phase transition and electrochemical degradation of Si-based materials

In order to explain the relationship between physical change and electrochemical degradation of Co–Co₃O₄ coated Si, impedance spectroscopy on Co–Co₃O₄ coated Si was conducted at various states during charge or discharge. Nyquist plots during Li⁺ insertion (charge) showed a unique behavior that below 70 mV vs. Li/Li⁺, the more Li⁺’s were inserted into the electrode, the larger its comprehensive resistance was getting. During Li⁺ extraction (discharge), electrode resistance was decreased after going through 0.43 V vs Li/Li⁺. When these data were fitted with the ordinary equivalent circuit which is composed of electrolyte resistance, charge transfer resistance and contact resistance, there was an abrupt augmentation of charge transfer resistance below 70 mV vs. Li/Li⁺ during charge, whereas there was its drastic diminishment between 0.2 and 0.5 V vs. Li/Li⁺ during discharge. Because these potential regions are each related to amorphous Li_xSi-to-Li₁₅Si₄ transition and vice versa, it could be shown that the formation and decomposition of Li₁₅Si₄ is responsible for the electrochemical degradation of Co–Co₃O₄ coated Si.     

TMDs beyond MoS2 for Electrochemical Energy Storage

Atomically thin sheets of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted interest as high capacity electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage devices owing to their unique properties (high surface area, high strength and modulus, faster ion diffusion, and so on), which arise from their layered morphology and diversified chemistry. Nevertheless, low electronic conductivity, poor cycling stability, large structural changes during metal-ion insertion/extraction along with high cost of manufacture are challenges that require further research in order for TMDs to find use in commercial batteries and supercapacitors. Here, a systematic review of cutting-edge research focused on TMD materials beyond the widely studied molybdenum disulfide or MoS₂ electrode is reported. Accordingly, a critical overview of the recent progress concerning synthesis methods, physicochemical and electrochemical properties is given. Trends and opportunities that may contribute to state-of-the-art research are also discussed.     

Coatings by refractory metal carbides: Deposition from molten salts,properties, application

High-temperature electrochemical synthesis and currentless transfer in molten salts were used to obtain coatings constituted by carbides of refractory metals (Mo₂C, Cr₇C₃, NbC, and TaC). It was found that the Mo₂C/Mo composite synthesized from a chloride-carbonate-molybdate melt has the highest catalytic activity. It was shown that the Mo₂C catalytic coating preserves its properties for at least 5000 h of tests. The protective properties of refractory metal carbides of composition Cr₇C₃, NbC, and TaC significantly improve the corrosion resistance of steel articles in concentrated solutions and raise their wear resistance by an order of magnitude.     

Synergistic Catalysis of SnO2/Reduced Graphene Oxide for VO2+/VO2+ and V2+/V3+ Redox Reactions

In spite of their low cost, high activity, and diversity, metal oxide catalysts have not been widely applied in vanadium redox reactions due to their poor conductivity and low surface area. Herein, SnO₂/reduced graphene oxide (SnO₂/rGO) composite was prepared by a sol–gel method followed by high-temperature carbonization. SnO₂/rGO shows better electrochemical catalysis for both redox reactions of VO²⁺/VO₂⁺ and V²⁺/V³⁺ couples as compared to SnO₂ and graphene oxide. This is attributed to the fact that reduced graphene oxide is employed as carbon support featuring excellent conductivity and a large surface area, which offers fast electron transfer and a large reaction place towards vanadium redox reaction. Moreover, SnO₂ has excellent electrochemical activity and wettability, which also boost the electrochemical kinetics of redox reaction. In brief, the electrochemical properties for vanadium redox reactions are boosted in terms of diffusion, charge transfer, and electron transport processes systematically. Next, SnO₂/rGO can increase the energy storage performance of cells, including higher discharge electrolyte utilization and lower electrochemical polarization. At 150 mA cm⁻², the energy efficiency of a modified cell is 69.8%, which is increased by 5.7% compared with a pristine one. This work provides a promising method to develop composite catalysts of carbon materials and metal oxide for vanadium redox reactions.     

Coated/Sandwiched rGO/CoSx Composites Derived from Metal–Organic Frameworks/GO as Advanced Anode Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Rational composite materials made from transition metal sulfides and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are highly desirable for designing high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Here, rGO‐coated or sandwiched CoS_x composites are fabricated through facile thermal sulfurization of metal–organic framework/GO precursors. By scrupulously changing the proportion of Co²⁺ and organic ligands and the solvent of the reaction system, we can tune the forms of GO as either a coating or a supporting layer. Upon testing as anode materials for LIBs, the as‐prepared CoS_x‐rGO‐CoS_x and rGO@CoS_x composites demonstrate brilliant electrochemical performances such as high initial specific capacities of 1248 and 1320 mA h g^?1, respectively, at a current density of 100 mA g^?1, and stable cycling abilities of 670 and 613 mA h g^?1, respectively, after 100 charge/discharge cycles, as well as superior rate capabilities. The excellent electrical conductivity and porous structure of the CoS_x/rGO composites can promote Li⁺ transfer and mitigate internal stress during the charge/discharge process, thus significantly improving the electrochemical performance of electrode materials.     

An ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor for CA72-4 based on a signal amplification strategy of MoS2 nanoflower-supported Au nanoparticles

Accurate detection of cancer antigen 72-4 (CA72-4), a tumor-associated glycoprotein, is of great significance for gastric cancer diagnosis and immunotherapy monitoring. Modification of noble metal nanoparticles on transition metal dichalcogenides can significantly enhance functions, such as electron transport. Molybdenum disulfide gold nanoparticles nanocomposites (MoS₂-Au NPs) were prepared in this study and a series of characterization studies were carried out. In addition, a label-free, highly sensitive electrochemical immunosensor molybdenum disulfide -Au nanoparticles/Glassy carbon electrode (MoS₂-Au NPs/GCE) was also prepared and used for the detection of CA72-4. The electrochemical performance of the immunosensor was characterized by electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicated that better MoS₂-Au NPs nanomaterials have been synthesized, and the prepared electrochemical immunosensor, MoS₂-Au NPs/GCE, showed excellent electrochemical performance. The sensor exhibited high detection sensitivity under optimal conditions, including an incubation time of 30 min, an incubation temperature of 25 °C, and a pH of 7.0. The electrochemical immunosensor also had a low detection limit of 2.0 × 10^?5 U/mL (S/N = 3) in a concentration range of 0.001–200 U/mL, with good selectivity, stability, and repeatability. In conclusion, this study provided a theoretical basis for the highly sensitive detection of tumor markers in clinical biological samples.