Unveiling active sites by structural tailoring of two-dimensional niobium disulfide for improved electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction
Hitanshu Kumar
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Search for more papers by this authorKe Wang
Division of Energy and Environment, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
Search for more papers by this authorFei Tang
Division of Energy and Environment, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
Search for more papers by this authorXierong Zeng
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Search for more papers by this authorLin Gan
Division of Energy and Environment, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yikun Su
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Correspondence
Yikun Su, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorHitanshu Kumar
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Search for more papers by this authorKe Wang
Division of Energy and Environment, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
Search for more papers by this authorFei Tang
Division of Energy and Environment, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
Search for more papers by this authorXierong Zeng
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Search for more papers by this authorLin Gan
Division of Energy and Environment, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Yikun Su
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China
Correspondence
Yikun Su, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: Shenzhen University
Summary
Here we report, unveiling the active sites for improved electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by structural tailoring of Niobium Disulfide (NbS2). NbS2 synthesized by chemical vapor deposition method, structural deformation is carried out by post-argon plasma and annealing treatment. Plasma-treated (P.T) NbS2 exhibits layer-by-layer stacked (≈250 nm) long and (≈200 nm) wide flakes, which show more edge sites and demonstrates low hydrogen evolution activity. Annealed NbS2 flakes are enlarged in size (≈1 μm) having more surface area which shows additional active basal plane sites and demonstrate remarkable HER performance at 10 mA cm−2. As the thickness of NbS2 is reduced, more basal planes are exposed hence improved HER activity was achieved. This enhanced electrocatalytic change demonstrates that the basal planes are the main active sites for HER in NbS.
Supporting Information
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