Phosphorus Doped MoS2 Nanosheet Promoted with Nitrogen, Sulfur Dual Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide as an Effective Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Highly efficient, cost-effective, and stable non-noble metal electrocatalysts are desirable for cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, crystal defects were created in MoS2 with the substitution of P dopants in order to catalyze HER effectively. Performance of MoS2 in electrocatalytic HER is poor in terms of high onset potential and overpotential due to poor intrinsic conductivity. The issue regarding conductivity and reducing onset potential as well as overpotential can be addressed by low electronegative element P substitution into the S sites of MoS2 and incorporating additionally dual heteroatom atom (nitrogen, sulfur) doped reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Synergistic effect of phosphorus doping into the S sites of MoS2 along with N,S-rGO greatly enhances the HER which is comparable to Pt/C with Tafel of 47 mV dec-1 and low overpotential of 105 mV at 20 mA cm-2. Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society.