Nanostructured catalyst for hydrogen electrochemical reduction based on molybdenum diselenide thin films

Abstract

Thin-filmed dichalcogenides of transition metals, in particular, MoSe₂, are considered as potentially active materials in the hydrogen evolution reaction, which can compete with expensive platinum. It has been established that the laser deposition technique ensures the formation of nanocomposite films containing a high density of Mo nanoparticles in the MoSe _x shell. Deposition of Mo nanoparticles increase roughness and induce activation of a surface. This manifests itself in formation of “edge” sites in the MoSe _x shell and on edges of the basis planes in MoSe _x nanocrystals oriented normally to the film surface. In a 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution, on carbon cathodes coated with MoSe _x films, the hydrogen overvoltage dropped to −0.17 V and the current density doubled.