title: Biomimetic hydrogen evolution: MoS2 nanoparticles as catalyst for hydrogen evolution.
abstract: The electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction is catalyzed most effectively by the Pt group metals. As H2 is considered as a future energy carrier, the need for these catalysts will increase and alternatives to the scarce and expensive Pt group catalysts will be needed. We analyze the ability of different metal surfaces and of the enzymes nitrogenase and hydrogenase to catalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction and find a necessary criterion for high catalytic activity. The necessary criterion is that the binding free energy of atomic hydrogen to the catalyst is close to zero. The criterion enables us to search for new catalysts, and inspired by the nitrogenase active site, we find that MoS2 nanoparticles supported on graphite are a promising catalyst. They catalyze electrochemical hydrogen evolution at a moderate overpotential of 0.1-0.2 V.
authors.affiliation: Center for Atomic-scale Materials Physics, Department of Physics, NanoDTU, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hinnemann
authors.forename: Poul Georg
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonde
authors.forename: Kristina P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Jane H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horch
authors.forename: Ib
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chorkendorff
authors.forename: Jens K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Nørskov
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004220:Disulfides / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009591:Nitrogenase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D004220:Disulfides; D006859:Hydrogen; D008982:Molybdenum; D009591:Nitrogenase; C082964:molybdenum disulfide