Synthesis of Co, Ni-doped MoS <sub>2</sub> as durable and pH-universal catalyst for hydrogen evolution
Ning Cao, Yiming Di, Shan Chen, Jiayi Qian, Minglei Liu, Xin Jin, Xiaobei Zang
Abstract
Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has garnered significant attention as a potential substitute for Pt catalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Furthermore, there is a need to explore cost-effective and efficient electrocatalysts that can perform well across different pH levels. In this study, a straightforward hydrothermal method is presented to synthesize Ni, Co-doped MoS<sub>2</sub> nanosheets on carbon fiber paper (Ni, Co-MoS<sub>2</sub>/CFP) for HER in various pH environments. The findings suggest that strategic doping not only alters the structure and composition of Ni, Co-MoS<sub>2</sub>/CFP but also enhances its inherent electrocatalytic activity while facilitating the transformation of the MoS<sub>2</sub> phase. The overpotentials observed for Ni, Co-MoS<sub>2</sub>/CFP were 95.6, 154, and 144 mV (at 10 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>) under alkaline, acidic, and neutral environments respectively. The exceptional performance of Ni, Co-MoS<sub>2</sub>/CFP in HER can be attributed to the introduction of nickel and cobalt dopants which increase porosity and expose more active sites. This one-step doping technique presents a novel approach to modulating catalytic activity across all pH ranges.