Journal Article

Interface confined hydrogen evolution reaction in zero valent metal nanoparticles-intercalated molybdenum disulfide

Zheng, Lirong, Tang, Wei, Dong, Lei, Tian, Bingbing, Yeo, Boon Siang, Leng, Kai, Zhao, Xiaoxu, Chen, Zhongxin, Lin, Ming, Loh, Kian Ping, Malkhandi, Souradip

2017

Overview

Interface confined reactions, which can modulate the bonding of reactants with catalytic centres and influence the rate of the mass transport from bulk solution, have emerged as a viable strategy for achieving highly stable and selective catalysis. Here we demonstrate that 1T′-enriched lithiated molybdenum disulfide is a highly powerful reducing agent, which can be exploited for the in-situ reduction of metal ions within the inner planes of lithiated molybdenum disulfide to form a zero valent metal-intercalated molybdenum disulfide. The confinement of platinum nanoparticles within the molybdenum disulfide layered structure leads to enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction activity and stability compared to catalysts dispersed on carbon support. In particular, the inner platinum surface is accessible to charged species like proton and metal ions, while blocking poisoning by larger sized pollutants or neutral molecules. This points a way forward for using bulk intercalated compounds for energy related applications. Interface confined reactions are a viable strategy for achieving stable and selective catalysts. Here, the authors demonstrate that 1T'-enriched lithiated MoS 2 can reduce metal ions in situ , forming zero valent platinum nanoparticle-intercalated MoS 2 , with enhanced hydrogen evolution activity.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group,Nature Portfolio
• Subject: 140/146 / 639/301/299/886 / 639/301/357/1018 / 639/638/77/886 / 639/925/350/2093 / Catalysis / Electrons / Humanities and Social Sciences / Hydrogen / Mass transport / Metal ions / Molybdenum / multidisciplinary / Nanoparticles / Platinum / Science / Science (multidisciplinary)