Fabrication of graphene-based electrode in less than a minute through hybrid microwave annealing

Abstract

Highly efficient and stable MoS 2 nanocrystals on graphene sheets (MoS 2 /GR) are synthesized via a hybrid microwave annealing process. Through only 45 second-irradiation using a household microwave oven equipped with a graphite susceptor, crystallization of MoS 2 and thermal reduction of graphene oxide into graphene are achieved, indicating that our synthetic method is ultrafast and energy-economic. Graphene plays a crucial role as an excellent microwave absorber as well as an ideal support material that mediates the growth of MoS 2 nanocrystals. The formed MoS 2 /GR electrocatalyst exhibits high activity of hydrogen evolution reaction with small onset overpotential of 0.1 V and Tafel slope of 50mV per decade together with an excellent stability in acid media. Thus our hybrid microwave annealing could be an efficient generic method to fabricate various graphene-based hybrid electric materials for broad applications.