The rapid electrochemical activation of MoTe2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction
The rapid electrochemical activation of MoTe2 for the hydrogen evolution reaction
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DOI：
10.1038/s41467-019-12831-0
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发表时间：
2019-10-29
影响因子：
16.6
通讯作者：
Ganin, Alexey Y.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
McGlynn, Jessica C.;Dankwort, Torben;Ganin, Alexey Y.
电化学制氢是生产可持续燃料的关键使能技术。过渡金属硫族化物作为该反应的催化剂显示出相当大的前景，但迄今为止，在这种情况下碲化物的报道很少，而且这些过渡金属碲化物催化剂都不是特别活跃。在这里，我们发现当电极保持在阴极偏置时，金属1T'-MoTe2的催化性能显著提高。因此，维持10 mA cm（-2）电流密度所需的过电位从320 mV降低到178 mV。我们发现这种快速可逆的活化过程源于H在1T'-MoTe2表面的Te位点上的吸附。这种激活过程强调了电极材料电子结构细微变化的重要性，以及这些变化如何影响所显示的后续电催化活性。
The electrochemical generation of hydrogen is a key enabling technology for the production of sustainable fuels. Transition metal chalcogenides show considerable promise as catalysts for this reaction, but to date there are very few reports of tellurides in this context, and none of these transition metal telluride catalysts are especially active. Here, we show that the catalytic performance of metallic 1T'-MoTe2 is improved dramatically when the electrode is held at cathodic bias. As a result, the overpotential required to maintain a current density of 10 mA cm(-2) decreases from 320 mV to just 178 mV. We show that this rapid and reversible activation process has its origins in adsorption of H onto Te sites on the surface of 1T'-MoTe2. This activation process highlights the importance of subtle changes in the electronic structure of an electrode material and how these can influence the subsequent electro-catalytic activity that is displayed.