Scalable Production of Few-Layer Niobium Disulfide Nanosheets via Electrochemical Exfoliation for Energy-Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Author(s)
Si, Jincheng
Zheng, Qiang
Chen, Hanlin
Lei, Chaojun
Suo, Yange
Yang, Bin
Zhang, Zhiguo
Li, Zhongjian
Lei, Lecheng
Hou, Yang
Ostrikov, Kostya Ken
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2019
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Two-dimensional (2D) niobium disulfide (NbS2) materials feature unique physical and chemical properties leading to highly promising energy conversion applications. Herein, we developed a robust synthesis technique consisting of electrochemical exfoliation under alternating currents and subsequent liquid-phase exfoliation to prepare highly uniform few-layer NbS2 nanosheets. The obtained few-layer NbS2 material has a 2D nanosheet structure with an ultrathin thickness of ∼3 nm and a lateral size of ∼2 μm. Benefiting from their unique 2D structure and highly exposed active sites, the few-layer NbS2 nanosheets drop-casted on ...
View more >Two-dimensional (2D) niobium disulfide (NbS2) materials feature unique physical and chemical properties leading to highly promising energy conversion applications. Herein, we developed a robust synthesis technique consisting of electrochemical exfoliation under alternating currents and subsequent liquid-phase exfoliation to prepare highly uniform few-layer NbS2 nanosheets. The obtained few-layer NbS2 material has a 2D nanosheet structure with an ultrathin thickness of ∼3 nm and a lateral size of ∼2 μm. Benefiting from their unique 2D structure and highly exposed active sites, the few-layer NbS2 nanosheets drop-casted on carbon paper exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acid with an overpotential of 90 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2 and a low Tafel slope of 83 mV dec–1, which are superior to those reported for other NbS2-based HER electrocatalysts. Furthermore, few-layer NbS2 nanosheets are effective as bifunctional electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by overall water splitting, where the urea and hydrazine oxidation reactions replace the oxygen evolution reaction.
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View more >Two-dimensional (2D) niobium disulfide (NbS2) materials feature unique physical and chemical properties leading to highly promising energy conversion applications. Herein, we developed a robust synthesis technique consisting of electrochemical exfoliation under alternating currents and subsequent liquid-phase exfoliation to prepare highly uniform few-layer NbS2 nanosheets. The obtained few-layer NbS2 material has a 2D nanosheet structure with an ultrathin thickness of ∼3 nm and a lateral size of ∼2 μm. Benefiting from their unique 2D structure and highly exposed active sites, the few-layer NbS2 nanosheets drop-casted on carbon paper exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acid with an overpotential of 90 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2 and a low Tafel slope of 83 mV dec–1, which are superior to those reported for other NbS2-based HER electrocatalysts. Furthermore, few-layer NbS2 nanosheets are effective as bifunctional electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by overall water splitting, where the urea and hydrazine oxidation reactions replace the oxygen evolution reaction.
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Journal Title
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
Volume
11
Issue
14
Subject
Chemical Sciences
Engineering