Molybdenum/selenium based heterostructure catalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution: Effects of ionic dissolution and repolymerization on catalytic performance

Mameng Yang; Weiwei Bao; Junjun Zhang; Taotao Ai; Jie Han; Yan Li; Jiangying Liu; Pengfei Zhang; Liangliang Feng

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.033

Molybdenum/selenium based heterostructure catalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution: Effects of ionic dissolution and repolymerization on catalytic performance

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2024 Mar 15:658:32-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.033. Epub 2023 Dec 9.

Authors

Mameng Yang¹, Weiwei Bao², Junjun Zhang³, Taotao Ai¹, Jie Han¹, Yan Li¹, Jiangying Liu¹, Pengfei Zhang⁴, Liangliang Feng⁵

Affiliations

¹ National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Slag Comprehensive Utilization and Environmental Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong 723000, Shaanxi, PR China.
² National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Slag Comprehensive Utilization and Environmental Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong 723000, Shaanxi, PR China. Electronic address: baowei1834@163.com.
³ State Key Laboratory of High-efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, PR China. Electronic address: zhangjj089@nxu.edu.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of High-efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, PR China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
⁵ School of Materials Science & Engineering, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Functionalization for Inorganic Materials, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, Shaanxi, PR China. Electronic address: fengll@sust.edu.cn.

PMID: 38091796
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.033

Abstract

Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) are recognized as highly efficient electrocatalysts and have wide applications in the field of hydrogen production by electrolysis of water, but the real catalytic substances and catalytic processes of these catalysts are not clear. The species evolution of Mo and Se during alkaline hydrogen evolution was investigated by constructing MoSe₂@CoSe₂ heterostructure. The real-time evolution of Mo and Se in MoSe₂@CoSe₂ was monitored using in situ Raman spectroscopy to determine the origin of the activity. Mo and Se in MoSe₂@CoSe₂ were dissolved in the form of MoO₄^2- and SeO₃^2-, respectively, and subsequently re-adsorbed and polymerized on the electrode surface to form new species Mo₂O₇^2- and SeO₄^2-. Theoretical calculations show that adsorption of Mo₂O₇^2- and SeO₄^2- can significantly enhance the HER catalytic activity of Co(OH)₂. The addition of additional MoO₄^2- and SeO₃^2- to the electrolyte with Co(OH)₂ electrodes both enhances its HER activity and promotes its durability. This study helps to deepen our insight into mechanisms involved in the structural changes of catalyst surfaces and offers a logical basis for revealing the mechanism of the influence of species evolution on catalytic performance.

Keywords: Heterojunction structure; Hydrogen evolution; In situ Raman; Surface reconstruction; Transition metal selenides.