Rhenium disulfide (ReS2) has emerged as a groundbreaking material in heterogeneous catalysis due to its unique layered structure and tunable electronic properties. Recent studies have demonstrated its exceptional performance in hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), with a Tafel slope of 38 mV/dec and an overpotential of 85 mV at 10 mA/cm², outperforming traditional Pt/C catalysts under specific conditions. The anisotropic nature of ReS2, with its distorted 1T’ phase, facilitates efficient charge transfer and active site exposure, making it a promising candidate for renewable energy applications. Advanced characterization techniques, such as in-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), have revealed that the edge sites of ReS2 nanosheets exhibit a turnover frequency (TOF) of 0.45 s⁻¹, significantly higher than bulk counterparts.
In the realm of CO2 reduction, ReS2 has shown remarkable selectivity and activity. A breakthrough study published in *Nature Catalysis* reported a Faradaic efficiency of 92% for CO production at -0.8 V vs. RHE, with a current density of 12 mA/cm². The unique sulfur vacancies in ReS2 act as active sites for CO2 adsorption and activation, while its layered structure ensures stability over 100 hours of continuous operation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further confirmed that the energy barrier for CO2 reduction on ReS2 is 0.72 eV lower than on MoS2, highlighting its superior catalytic potential.
ReS2 has also been explored for nitrogen fixation under ambient conditions, achieving an ammonia production rate of 23.5 µg/h·cm² at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. This performance is attributed to the material’s ability to stabilize nitrogen intermediates through strong adsorption on its surface defects. In-situ Raman spectroscopy revealed that the N≡N bond stretching frequency decreases by 120 cm⁻¹ upon adsorption on ReS2, indicating effective activation of the nitrogen molecule.
The integration of ReS2 into hybrid catalytic systems has opened new avenues for synergistic effects. For instance, coupling ReS2 with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) resulted in a photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of 8.7 mmol/g·h under visible light irradiation, a threefold increase compared to pristine g-C3N4. The enhanced performance is due to the formation of a type-II heterojunction, which promotes efficient charge separation and reduces recombination losses.
Finally, recent advancements in defect engineering have further optimized ReS2’s catalytic properties. Controlled sulfur vacancy introduction increased the HER activity by 40%, achieving an overpotential of only 62 mV at 10 mA/cm². Additionally, doping ReS2 with transition metals like Co or Ni has improved its oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance, with an overpotential reduction from 420 mV to 310 mV at 10 mA/cm². These breakthroughs underscore the versatility and potential of ReS2 as a next-generation catalyst for sustainable energy conversion and environmental remediation.
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