WSe2-VSe2 Alloyed Nanosheets to Enhance the Catalytic Performance of Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Tuning the electronic structures of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) is essential for their implementation in next-generation energy technologies. In this study, we synthesized composition-tuned WSe2-VSe2 (W1-xVxSe2, x = 0-1) alloyed nanosheets using a colloidal reaction. Alloying the semiconducting WSe2 with VSe2 converts the material into a metallic one, followed by a 2H-to-1T phase transition at x = 0.7. Over a wide composition range, WSe2 and VSe2 are atomically immiscible and form separate ordered domains. The miscible alloy at x = 0.1 displayed enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an acidic electrolyte. This trend was correlated with the d-band center via a volcano-type relationship. Spin-polarized density functional theory calculations consistently predicted the atomic immiscibility, which became more significant at the 2H-1T phase transition composition. The Gibbs free energy of H adsorption on the basal planes (Se or hole sites) and the activation barriers along the Volmer-Heyrovsky reaction pathway supported the enhanced HER performance of the alloy phase, suggesting that the dispersed V-doped structures were responsible for the best HER catalytic activity. Our study demonstrates how the atomic structure of TMD alloy nanosheets plays a crucial role in enhancing catalytic activity.

Automated summary

This study focuses on tuning the electronic structures of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) through alloying and composition tuning. The researchers synthesized WSe2-VSe2 alloyed nanosheets and found that WSe2 and VSe2 are atomically immiscible, forming separate ordered domains. The alloyed nanosheets exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an acidic electrolyte. The study demonstrates the importance of the atomic structure of TMD alloy nanosheets in enhancing catalytic activity.