We
show that the colloidal growth of SnS nanosheets (NS), a group
IV metal chalcogenide (MC), on MoSe2 NS, a transition metal
dichalcogenide (TMDC), results in the formation of type-II nanoheterostructures
(NHS). The MoSe2/SnS NHS synthesis is accompanied by in
situ generation of MoO3–x
at the
MoSe2 and SnS interface activating the otherwise electrochemically
inert basal planes of MoSe2 NS. The MoSe2/SnS
NHS exhibit more active sites, and the built-in electric field at
the interface enhances the rate of charge transfer. The largely enhanced
electrocatalytic activities are attributed to the electronic property
manipulation due to the synergistic interactions between MoSe2 NS and SnS NS. This work provides insights into the design
of multicomponent low-dimensional 2D/2D (D = dimension) NHS based
on TMDC/MC combination with enhanced electrochemical properties, in
particular for applications of water splitting.