The electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) of heterogenous catalysts has attracted much attention for its enhancing electrocatalytic efficiency by impacting adsorption and desorption energy of reaction intermediates. Recently, Prof. Rongming Wang reported a progress on interfacial electronic structure modulation of Pt-MoS2 heterostructure for enhancing electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction [Nano Energy 94, 106913 (2022), IF: 17.881].

Fig. 1. Atomic structure characterization of MoS2 and Pt-MoS2.

Fig. 2. The enhanced HER electrocatalytic performance of Pt-MoS2 is proved to be ascribed to the interfacial electronic structure modulation.

The monodispersed single-crystal Pt nanoparticles (~3 nm) decorated on MoS2 nanosheets with 2H phase (Pt-MoS2) synthesized by a universal wet chemical method. The morphology and structure characterizations show that the loaded Pt single-crystals are approximately half truncated octahedral shapes enclosed by {1 1 1} and {2 0 0} facets (Fig. 1). Benefitting from interfacial electronic structure modulation, the Pt-MoS2 exhibits a lower overpotential (67.4 mV at the current desity of 10 mA·cm-2), smaller Tafel slope (76.2 mV·dec-1), and robuster HER durability than those of pristine MoS2 nanosheets and prepared Pt NPs. The theoretical simulations further reveal that the Pt atom at the interface, which belong to {2 0 0} facets and adjoin S atoms, own the smallest hydrogen adsorption free energy by manipulating the d-band center of the Pt metal surface (Fig. 2).

This work provides crystalline structure and electronic configuration engineering strategy towards to design and develop of metal-support heterostructure with high HER activity and stability.

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211285521011629.