Doping and interface engineering in a sandwich Ti3C2Tx/MoS2-xPx heterostructure for efficient hydrogen evolution

The development of low-cost, stable, and robust electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is significantly indispensable and is of urgent need for electrocatalytic water splitting and clean energy. Herein, a hydrothermal and phosphorization approach is reported for the construction of a sandwich Ti3C2Tx/MoS2-xPx heterostructure, in which ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets doped with P are vertically grown on a 2D layered Ti3C2Tx MXene. The as-prepared Ti3C2Tx/MoS2-xPx heterostructure delivers outstanding activity for the HER, affording a low overpotential of 157 mV at 10 mA cm(-2), as well as superior long-term durability with a negligible attenuation after 2000 CV cycles and constant activity after the chronoamperometric test. An excellent HER performance is induced by ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets, which bring abundant active sites to accelerate mass transport. Furthermore, the sandwich heterostructure shows an abundant interface and a 3D porous network, which can facilitate electron transfer capability and promote the contact of electrolytes. In addition, P doping provides good conductivity and has appropriate adsorption and desorption energy for the H intermediate. This work enriches the catalyst family and presents an alternative and efficient route to accelerate the hydrogen activity of non-noble metal catalysts.

Automated summary

The study presents a hydrothermal and phosphorization approach to construct a sandwich Ti3C2Tx/MoS2-xPx heterostructure, which exhibits outstanding activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets in the heterostructure provide abundant active sites to accelerate mass transport, while the sandwich structure facilitates electron transfer capability and electrolyte contact. This study enriches the catalyst family and offers an alternative and efficient route for the hydrogen activity of non-noble metal catalysts.