Optimizing the hydrogen evolution activity and stability of MoS 2 /C
Résumé
Proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) systems currently face challenges due to their high investment costs, primarily attributed to the use of platinum group metal (PGM) electrocatalysts. At the cathode, carbon-supported platinum nanoparticles (Pt/C) are state-of-the art hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), in particular the 2H MoS2 phase which is thermodynamically favorable [1], is among the best candidates to replace Pt/C. Different strategies are proposed to enhance the density and the activity of the active edge sites [2,3]. This presentation will present two approaches to enhance the HER activity of MoS2: (i) a reduction of the size of the MoS2 slabs (ii) doping MoS2 with very low amount of Co and Pt [4]. A special emphasis will be paid on the durability of this class of materials in HER conditions by monitoring the dissolution of Mo, Co and Pt elements using in situ inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Figure1).