Valence and oxide impurities in MoS2 and WS2 dramatically change their electrocatalytic activity towards proton reduction

Naziah Mohamad Latiff; Lu Wang; Carmen C. Mayorga-Martinez; Zdeněk Sofer; Adrian C. Fisher; Martin Pumera

doi:10.1039/c6nr03086f

Valence and oxide impurities in MoS₂ and WS₂ dramatically change their electrocatalytic activity towards proton reduction

Naziah Mohamad Latiff, Lu Wang, Carmen C. Mayorga-Martinez, Zdeněk Sofer, Adrian C. Fisher, Martin Pumera

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and tungsten disulfide (WS₂) have received renewed interest in recent years as they are catalytic towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and they are touted as future replacements of platinum in electrolyzers. There is a significant discrepancy in the found onset potentials of MoS₂ and WS₂ towards the hydrogen evolution reaction. Here we show that the presence of valence sulfide impurities, such as MoS₃ and WS₃, and their oxide counterparts, such as MoO₂, MoO₃ and WO₂, WO₃ can contribute to the catalytic activity towards hydronium reduction to hydrogen of MoS₂ and WS₂. Therefore, it is highly possible that the differences in the reported onset potentials and thus catalytic activities of the MoS₂ and WS₂ are due to the presence of catalytic impurities.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	16752-16760
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nanoscale
Volume	8
Issue number	37
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c6nr03086f
Publication status	Published - 2016 Oct 7

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Materials Science(all)

Access to Document

10.1039/c6nr03086f

Cite this

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title = "Valence and oxide impurities in MoS2 and WS2 dramatically change their electrocatalytic activity towards proton reduction",

abstract = "Layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten disulfide (WS2) have received renewed interest in recent years as they are catalytic towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and they are touted as future replacements of platinum in electrolyzers. There is a significant discrepancy in the found onset potentials of MoS2 and WS2 towards the hydrogen evolution reaction. Here we show that the presence of valence sulfide impurities, such as MoS3 and WS3, and their oxide counterparts, such as MoO2, MoO3 and WO2, WO3 can contribute to the catalytic activity towards hydronium reduction to hydrogen of MoS2 and WS2. Therefore, it is highly possible that the differences in the reported onset potentials and thus catalytic activities of the MoS2 and WS2 are due to the presence of catalytic impurities.",

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T1 - Valence and oxide impurities in MoS2 and WS2 dramatically change their electrocatalytic activity towards proton reduction

AU - Mohamad Latiff, Naziah

AU - Wang, Lu

AU - Mayorga-Martinez, Carmen C.

AU - Sofer, Zdeněk

AU - Fisher, Adrian C.

AU - Pumera, Martin

PY - 2016/10/7

Y1 - 2016/10/7

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AB - Layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten disulfide (WS2) have received renewed interest in recent years as they are catalytic towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and they are touted as future replacements of platinum in electrolyzers. There is a significant discrepancy in the found onset potentials of MoS2 and WS2 towards the hydrogen evolution reaction. Here we show that the presence of valence sulfide impurities, such as MoS3 and WS3, and their oxide counterparts, such as MoO2, MoO3 and WO2, WO3 can contribute to the catalytic activity towards hydronium reduction to hydrogen of MoS2 and WS2. Therefore, it is highly possible that the differences in the reported onset potentials and thus catalytic activities of the MoS2 and WS2 are due to the presence of catalytic impurities.

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