MoS₂ Nanostructures for Solar Hydrogen Generation via Membraneless Electrochemical Water Splitting

Abstract

Storing and delivering green hydrogen generated by solar energy have the potential to significantly supplement and disburse the share of promising but intermittent renewable energy. In this scenario, robust materials capable of delivering solar-driven electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen generation provide an interesting protocol that is applicable to all sectors of energy. Electrochemical water splitting is the conventional and most prevalent technique for hydrogen generation, which utilizes platinum-based materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, these platinum-based noble metal catalysts possess poor cyclic stability, limiting their commercial application for economical hydrogen generation. Therefore, the development of efficient non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts is urgently needed to produce cost-competitive hydrogen energy. Several kinds of non-noble metal-based heterogeneous electrocatalysts, including carbides, sulfides, selenides, oxides, and phosphides, have been developed and studied. The unique physicochemical properties of carbonaceous materials make them promising candidates to support catalysts. In this paper, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanomaterial catalysts have been synthesized, deposited on carbon fiber (CF)-based materials, and then used for solar hydrogen generation by membraneless electrochemical water splitting. At 430 W/m2 irradiation and 35 °C working temperature, the solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency is found to be 2.46%.

Facile synthesis and effect of thermal treatment on MoO3−x@MoS2 (x = 0, 1) bilayer nanostructure: toward photoelectrochemical applications

“…37-1492. These observations agree with the previous reports [14,15,[58][59][60][61][62][63]. The effect of temperature on the structural phase could be noticed.…”

“…In recent years, molybdenum sulfide (MoS 2 ), a metal dichalcogenide, has emerged as a versatile material for diverse applications, including photodetector [1][2][3], light-emitting diode [4,5], gas sensor [6][7][8], supercapacitor [9,10], field effect transistor [11,12], photoelectrochemical or hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) [13][14][15][16][17][18][19], photocatalysis [20], Li-battery [21,22], and environmental treatment [23,24]. The two-dimensional (2D) MoS 2 nanoflake structure exhibits a pseudo-quantum confinement effect, which gives rise to superior properties such as high carrier mobility, fast photoexcited electron-hole pair separation/transfer, adjustable energy bandgap, and robust thermal stability [1,7,[25][26][27].…”

Synthesis of NiMoO4/NiMo@NiS Nanorods for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reactions in Electrocatalysts

“…However, certain technical challenges need to be overcome before hydrogen can be used on an industrial scale for energy generation. Among them, the high energy consumption and cost involved in the hydrogen production process represent significant bottlenecks [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. To overcome these problems, numerous researchers have begun exploring efficient catalysts for the evolution of hydrogen that are cost-effective for electrical transport.…”

Self–Supporting Mn–RuO2 Nanoarrays for Stable Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Acid

“…Hydrogen is an adaptable and promising clean energy carrier that has the potential to play a significant role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. In contrast to the prevalent use of natural gas reforming for hydrogen production in the industry, the electrochemical process of water splitting, empowered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy under more moderate conditions, emerges as a considerably more desirable option since it leaves no carbon footprint [1][2][3][4][5][6]. The technique of electrochemical water splitting encompasses two established methods, namely alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) and proton exchange membrane-based water electrolysis (PEMWE) [7,8].…”