Rational Design of Efficient Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Single Layers of WS2 Nanoplates Anchored to Hollow Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanofibers

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b09447
• Publication Date: 2015-12-14T14:39:18Z
• Authors: Sunmoon Yu; Jaehoon Kim; Ki Ro Yoon; Ji-Won Jung; Jihun Oh; Il-Doo Kim
• Keywords: Overpotential; Electrospinning; Carbon fibers

To exploit the benefits of nanostructuring for enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), we employed coaxial electrospinning to synthesize single-layered WS2 nanoplates anchored hollow nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (WS2@HNCNFs) as efficient electrocatalysts. For comparison, bulk powder and single layers embedded in (WS2@NCNFs) were synthesized electrochemically tested. The distinctive design WS2@HNCNFs enables remarkable electrochemical performances showing a low overpotential with reduced charge transfer resistance, small Tafel slope, excellent durability. experimental results highlight importance nanostructure engineering electrocatalysts HER.