Defect-rich one-dimensional MoS2 hierarchical architecture for efficient hydrogen evolution: Coupling of multiple advantages into one catalyst

Optimizing the activity of layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) process is generally achieved by improving the electrical transport, intrinsic activity, and/or the number of active sites. However, simultaneously coupling these factors to achieve remarkable MoS2-based electrocatalysts has been seldom reported. Herein, we report a facile approach to the defect-rich one-dimensional MoS2 hierarchical architecture (1D-DRHA MoS2), which synergistically integrate the advantageous structural features of rich defects and one-dimensional hierarchal morphology. Toward HER process, the 1D-DRHA MoS2 electrocatalyst exhibited an overpotential of 119 mV at 10 mA cm−2, a Tafel slope of 50.7 mV dec-1, accompanied by an excellent stability. Notably, the activity is competitive to the state-of-the-art MoS2-based electrocatalysts for HER. The combination of experimental evidences and density functional theory calculations demonstrated the incorporation of rich defects and one-dimensional hierarchical structure improved electric conductivity, intrinsic activity, and active sites, which together accounted for the boosted HER performance.