Prickly pear-like three-dimensional porous MoS2: Synthesis, characterization and advanced hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract

Herein, we hydrothermally synthesize a type of prickly pear-like three-dimensional (3D) porous MoS2 (ZT-MoS2), using a zinc oxide (ZnO) rod deposited on quartz glass substrates, as a template for an advanced hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst. Microscopic and spectroscopic tools comprehensively characterize the morphology of the ZT-MoS2 nanostructure, which exhibits adequate edge active sites and defects, as well as a high component of active octahedral MoS2 (1T-MoS2). Electrochemical characterizations reveal the good HER performance of the ZT-MoS2 that presents a good overpotential of 110 mV, and a Tafel slope of 63 mV·dec−1, superior to most of the previously reported MoS2-based HER catalysts. This work contributes to the design and fabrication of 3D MoS2 with enhanced HER performance, which holds great promise for fuel cells and energy conversion.