Self-sacrificial template method of Mo3O10(C6H8N)2•2H2O to fabricate MoS2/carbon-doped MoO2 nanobelts as efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction

Abstract As efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), novel MoS 2 /carbon-doped molybdenum dioxide (MoS 2 /C-doped MoO 2 ) nanobelts have been successfully synthesized via sulfuration treatment of the C-doped MoO 2 nanobelts. Mo 3 O 10 (C 6 H 8 N) 2 •2H 2 O with one-dimensional structure, high conductivity and large surface area has been used as template to produce C-doped MoO 2 nanobelts. After the sulfuration treatment, MoS 2 nanosheets vertically grow along the axis direction of conducting C-doped MoO 2 nanobelts leading to less stacking of MoS 2 nanosheets and improved conductivity. The as-prepared MoS 2 /C-doped MoO 2 nanobelts have been examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The growth mechanism of MoS 2 /C-doped MoO 2 nanobelts has been discussed. The MoS 2 /C-doped MoO 2 nanobelts exhibit excellent HER activity with the low onset overpotential of 120 mV (vs. RHE) and a small Tafel slope of 55 mV dec −1 . The sulfuration treatment of C-doped MoO 2 nanobelts could improve the conductivity and decrease the stacking of MoS 2 nanosheets, which could provide more exposed active sites and faster rate of electron transfer, thus their electrocatalytic performances for HER have been enhanced drastically. The sulfuration treatment of unique MoO x -based nanostructures may be a potential and efficient strategy to manufacture efficient MoS 2 -based electrocatalysts for HER.