Structure and catalytic properties of MoSex thin films containing Mo nanoparticles in electrochemical production of hydrogen in solution

Abstract

The introduction of molybdenum nanoparticles in MoSe_x thin films formed by pulsed laser deposition led to changes in the film structure. The base planes of the layered atomic packing of the MoSe_х matrix around Mo nanoparticles rotated; as a consequence, the edge sites that formed during the “breaking” of the Se–Mo–Se layered atomic packing came out to the film surface. At high nanoparticle concentrations, this effect led to high density of edge sites possessing increased catalytic activity (compared with that of the base planes) for initiating the electrochemical evolution of hydrogen in a 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution. Voltammetric measurements at room temperature showed that when the carbon cathode was coated with MoSe_x thin films under optimum conditions, the hydrogen overvoltage considerably decreased, and the cathodic current increased. The results indicate that developments in the field of preparation of nanostructured electrodes based on layered transition metal dichalcogenides show promise as an alternative to expensive electrodes based on platinum group metals for electrocatalysts of hydrogen evolution.