Recent breakthroughs in the field of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysis have highlighted the exceptional potential of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as a cost-effective and efficient alternative to platinum-based catalysts. The latest research has demonstrated that edge sites of MoS2 nanosheets exhibit HER activity comparable to platinum, with overpotentials as low as 75 mV at 10 mA/cm² in acidic media. Advanced engineering techniques, such as defect engineering and strain modulation, have further enhanced the catalytic performance. For instance, introducing sulfur vacancies has been shown to increase the density of active sites, achieving a turnover frequency (TOF) of 0.4 s⁻¹ at an overpotential of 200 mV. These advancements underscore the promise of MoS2 in scaling up green hydrogen production.
The integration of MoS2 with conductive substrates has emerged as a transformative strategy to overcome its inherent limitations in electrical conductivity. Recent studies have explored hybrid architectures, such as MoS2 grown on graphene or carbon nanotubes, which exhibit remarkable HER performance. A groundbreaking study reported a hybrid MoS2/graphene catalyst with an overpotential of 50 mV at 10 mA/cm² and a Tafel slope of 36 mV/dec, outperforming many noble metal catalysts. Furthermore, the use of three-dimensional (3D) porous substrates has enabled efficient mass transport and gas diffusion, resulting in a current density of 100 mA/cm² at an overpotential of 150 mV. These innovations highlight the critical role of substrate engineering in optimizing MoS2-based HER systems.
The development of phase-engineered MoS2 has opened new avenues for enhancing its catalytic properties. While the thermodynamically stable 2H phase is semiconducting, the metastable 1T phase exhibits metallic behavior and superior HER activity. Recent breakthroughs in chemical exfoliation techniques have enabled the synthesis of high-purity 1T-MoS2 with HER overpotentials as low as 60 mV at 10 mA/cm² and Tafel slopes below 40 mV/dec. Additionally, doping strategies involving transition metals like cobalt or nickel have further improved the catalytic efficiency, achieving TOFs exceeding 1 s⁻¹ at moderate overpotentials. These findings demonstrate the potential of phase engineering and doping to unlock unprecedented levels of HER performance in MoS2.
Scalability and stability are critical factors for the practical deployment of MoS2-based HER catalysts. Recent advancements in large-scale synthesis methods, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD), have enabled the production of uniform MoS2 films with consistent catalytic properties. A notable study reported a CVD-grown MoS2 catalyst that maintained stable HER activity for over 500 hours with minimal degradation under industrial operating conditions. Moreover, encapsulation strategies using protective layers like graphene oxide have been shown to enhance durability while preserving catalytic efficiency. These developments pave the way for integrating MoS2 into commercial electrolyzers for sustainable hydrogen production.
The exploration of multi-functional MoS2-based heterostructures has revealed synergistic effects that amplify HER performance beyond standalone MoS2 systems. For example, coupling MoS2 with transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) like WS₂ or NiSe₂ has resulted in catalysts with overpotentials below 40 mV at 10 mA/cm² and Tafel slopes approaching theoretical limits (~30 mV/dec). Additionally, incorporating plasmonic nanoparticles into MoS₂ heterostructures has enabled light-enhanced HER catalysis under visible light irradiation, achieving current densities up to 200 mA/cm² at reduced overpotentials. These multi-functional designs not only enhance catalytic activity but also introduce new dimensions for optimizing energy conversion processes.
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