title: Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Edges of a Few Layer Molybdenum Disulfide Nanodots.
abstract: The design and development of inexpensive highly efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen production underpins several emerging clean-energy technologies. In this work, for the first time, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanodots have been synthesized by ionic liquid assisted grinding exfoliation of bulk platelets and isolated by sequential centrifugation. The nanodots have a thickness of up to 7 layers (∼4 nm) and an average lateral size smaller than 20 nm. Detailed structural characterization established that the nanodots retained the crystalline quality and low oxidation states of the bulk material. The small lateral size and reduced number of layers provided these nanodots with an easier path for the electron transport and plentiful active sites for the catalysis of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic electrolyte. The MoS2 nanodots exhibited good durability and a Tafel slope of 61 mV dec(-1) with an estimated onset potential of -0.09 V vs RHE, which are considered among the best values achieved for 2H phase. It is envisaged that this work may provide a simplistic route to synthesize a wide range of 2D layered nanodots that have applications in water splitting and other energy related technologies.
authors.affiliation: †School of Engineering, Engineering Research Institute, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.affiliation: ‡College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meixian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: §National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Gulou, Nanjing 210093, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuangbao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: §National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Gulou, Nanjing 210093, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: †School of Engineering, Engineering Research Institute, Ulster University, Newtownabbey BT37 0QB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Pagona
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papakonstantinou
keywords: MoS2 nanosheets; edges; electrocatalysis; hydrogen evolution reaction; ionic liquid exfoliation; nanodots; water splitting