Dynamic Evolution and Reversibility of Single-Atom Ni(II) Active Site in 1T-MoS₂ Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution

Authors

Brian Pattengale, Marquette University
Yichao Huang, San Diego State University
Xingxu Yan, University of California
Sizhou Yang, Marquette UniversityFollow
Sabrina Younan, San Diego State University
Wenhui Hu, Marquette University
Zhida Li, San Diego State University
Sungsik Lee, Argonne National Laboratory
Xiaoping Pan, University of California
Jing Gu, San Diego State University
Jier Huang, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Publication Date

2020

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Source Publication

Nature Communications

Source ISSN

2041-1723

Abstract

1T-MoS₂ and single-atom modified analogues represent a highly promising class of low-cost catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, the role of single atoms, either as active species or promoters, remains vague despite its essentiality toward more efficient HER. In this work, we report the unambiguous identification of Ni single atom as key active sites in the basal plane of 1T-MoS₂ (Ni@1T-MoS₂) that result in efficient HER performance. The intermediate structure of this Ni active site under catalytic conditions was captured by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, where a reversible metallic Ni species (Ni⁰) is observed in alkaline conditions whereas Ni remains in its local structure under acidic conditions. These insights provide crucial mechanistic understanding of Ni@1T-MoS₂ HER electrocatalysts and suggest that the understanding gained from such in situ studies is necessary toward the development of highly efficient single-atom decorated 1T-MoS₂ electrocatalysts.

Comments

Published version. Nature Communications, Vol. 11, (2020): 4114. DOI. © 2020 Nature Publishing Group (Macmillan Publishers Limited). Used with permission.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Pattengale, Brian; Huang, Yichao; Yan, Xingxu; Yang, Sizhou; Younan, Sabrina; Hu, Wenhui; Li, Zhida; Lee, Sungsik; Pan, Xiaoping; Gu, Jing; and Huang, Jier, "Dynamic Evolution and Reversibility of Single-Atom Ni(II) Active Site in 1T-MoS₂ Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution" (2020). Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications. 1025.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/chem_fac/1025