Ultrahigh-current-density niobium disulfide catalysts for hydrogen evolution

Jieun Yang; Abdul Rahman Mohmad; Yan Wang; Raymond Fullon; Xiuju Song; Fang Zhao; Ibrahim Bozkurt; Mathias Augustin; Elton J.G. Santos; Hyeon Suk Shin; Wenjing Zhang; Damien Voiry; Hu Young Jeong; Manish Chhowalla

doi:10.1038/s41563-019-0463-8

Ultrahigh-current-density niobium disulfide catalysts for hydrogen evolution

Jieun Yang, Abdul Rahman Mohmad, Yan Wang, Raymond Fullon, Xiuju Song, Fang Zhao, Ibrahim Bozkurt, Mathias Augustin, Elton J.G. Santos, Hyeon Suk Shin, Wenjing Zhang, Damien Voiry, Hu Young Jeong, Manish Chhowalla

Rutgers University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Metallic transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)^1–8 are good catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The overpotential and Tafel slope values of metallic phases and edges⁹ of two-dimensional (2D) TMDs approach those of Pt. However, the overall current density of 2D TMD catalysts remains orders of magnitude lower (~10–100 mA cm⁻²) than industrial Pt and Ir electrolysers (>1,000 mA cm⁻²)^10,11. Here, we report the synthesis of the metallic 2H phase of niobium disulfide with additional niobium (2H Nb_1+xS₂, where x is ~0.35)¹² as a HER catalyst with current densities of >5,000 mA cm⁻² at ~420 mV versus a reversible hydrogen electrode. We find the exchange current density at 0 V for 2H Nb_1.35S₂ to be ~0.8 mA cm⁻², corresponding to a turnover frequency of ~0.2 s⁻¹. We demonstrate an electrolyser based on a 2H Nb₁₊ _xS₂ cathode that can generate current densities of 1,000 mA cm⁻². Our theoretical results reveal that 2H Nb₁₊ _xS₂ with Nb-terminated surface has free energy for hydrogen adsorption that is close to thermoneutral, facilitating HER. Therefore, 2H Nb₁₊ _xS₂ could be a viable catalyst for practical electrolysers.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1309-1314
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature materials
Volume	18
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-019-0463-8
Publication status	Published - Dec 1 2019

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry(all)
Materials Science(all)
Condensed Matter Physics
Mechanics of Materials
Mechanical Engineering

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Ultrahigh-current-density niobium disulfide catalysts for hydrogen evolution. / Yang, Jieun; Mohmad, Abdul Rahman; Wang, Yan; Fullon, Raymond; Song, Xiuju; Zhao, Fang; Bozkurt, Ibrahim; Augustin, Mathias; Santos, Elton J.G.; Shin, Hyeon Suk; Zhang, Wenjing; Voiry, Damien; Jeong, Hu Young; Chhowalla, Manish.

In: Nature materials, Vol. 18, No. 12, 01.12.2019, p. 1309-1314.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Yang, Jieun ; Mohmad, Abdul Rahman ; Wang, Yan ; Fullon, Raymond ; Song, Xiuju ; Zhao, Fang ; Bozkurt, Ibrahim ; Augustin, Mathias ; Santos, Elton J.G. ; Shin, Hyeon Suk ; Zhang, Wenjing ; Voiry, Damien ; Jeong, Hu Young ; Chhowalla, Manish. / Ultrahigh-current-density niobium disulfide catalysts for hydrogen evolution. In: Nature materials. 2019 ; Vol. 18, No. 12. pp. 1309-1314.

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title = "Ultrahigh-current-density niobium disulfide catalysts for hydrogen evolution",

abstract = "Metallic transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)1–8 are good catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The overpotential and Tafel slope values of metallic phases and edges9 of two-dimensional (2D) TMDs approach those of Pt. However, the overall current density of 2D TMD catalysts remains orders of magnitude lower (~10–100 mA cm−2) than industrial Pt and Ir electrolysers (>1,000 mA cm−2)10,11. Here, we report the synthesis of the metallic 2H phase of niobium disulfide with additional niobium (2H Nb1+xS2, where x is ~0.35)12 as a HER catalyst with current densities of >5,000 mA cm−2 at ~420 mV versus a reversible hydrogen electrode. We find the exchange current density at 0 V for 2H Nb1.35S2 to be ~0.8 mA cm−2, corresponding to a turnover frequency of ~0.2 s−1. We demonstrate an electrolyser based on a 2H Nb1+ xS2 cathode that can generate current densities of 1,000 mA cm−2. Our theoretical results reveal that 2H Nb1+ xS2 with Nb-terminated surface has free energy for hydrogen adsorption that is close to thermoneutral, facilitating HER. Therefore, 2H Nb1+ xS2 could be a viable catalyst for practical electrolysers.",

author = "Jieun Yang and Mohmad, {Abdul Rahman} and Yan Wang and Raymond Fullon and Xiuju Song and Fang Zhao and Ibrahim Bozkurt and Mathias Augustin and Santos, {Elton J.G.} and Shin, {Hyeon Suk} and Wenjing Zhang and Damien Voiry and Jeong, {Hu Young} and Manish Chhowalla",

note = "Funding Information: M.C. and J.Y. acknowledge financial support from AFOSR grant no. FA9550-16-1-0289. M.C. and Y.W. acknowledge support from NSF grant no. ECCS-1608389. M.C., W.Z. and X.S. acknowledge support from Shenzhen Peacock Plan (grant no. KQTD2016053112042971). M.C. and A.R.M. acknowledge financial support from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. H.Y.J. acknowledges support from Creative Materials Discovery Programme through the National Research Foundation of Korea (grant no. NRF-2016M3D1A1900035). E.J.G.S. acknowledges the use of computational resources from the UK National High-performance Computing Service (ARCHER) for which access was obtained via the UKCP consortium (EPSRC grant no. EP/K013564/1), and the UK Materials and Molecular Modelling Hub for access to the THOMAS supercluster, which is partially funded by EPSRC (grant no. EP/P020194/1). The Queen{\textquoteright}s Fellow Award through grant no. M8407MPH, the Enabling Fund (grant no. A5047TSL) and the Department for the Economy (grant no. USI 097) are also acknowledged by E.J.G.S.",

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T1 - Ultrahigh-current-density niobium disulfide catalysts for hydrogen evolution

AU - Yang, Jieun

AU - Mohmad, Abdul Rahman

AU - Wang, Yan

AU - Fullon, Raymond

AU - Song, Xiuju

AU - Zhao, Fang

AU - Bozkurt, Ibrahim

AU - Augustin, Mathias

AU - Santos, Elton J.G.

AU - Shin, Hyeon Suk

AU - Zhang, Wenjing

AU - Voiry, Damien

AU - Jeong, Hu Young

AU - Chhowalla, Manish

N1 - Funding Information: M.C. and J.Y. acknowledge financial support from AFOSR grant no. FA9550-16-1-0289. M.C. and Y.W. acknowledge support from NSF grant no. ECCS-1608389. M.C., W.Z. and X.S. acknowledge support from Shenzhen Peacock Plan (grant no. KQTD2016053112042971). M.C. and A.R.M. acknowledge financial support from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. H.Y.J. acknowledges support from Creative Materials Discovery Programme through the National Research Foundation of Korea (grant no. NRF-2016M3D1A1900035). E.J.G.S. acknowledges the use of computational resources from the UK National High-performance Computing Service (ARCHER) for which access was obtained via the UKCP consortium (EPSRC grant no. EP/K013564/1), and the UK Materials and Molecular Modelling Hub for access to the THOMAS supercluster, which is partially funded by EPSRC (grant no. EP/P020194/1). The Queen’s Fellow Award through grant no. M8407MPH, the Enabling Fund (grant no. A5047TSL) and the Department for the Economy (grant no. USI 097) are also acknowledged by E.J.G.S.

PY - 2019/12/1

Y1 - 2019/12/1

N2 - Metallic transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)1–8 are good catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The overpotential and Tafel slope values of metallic phases and edges9 of two-dimensional (2D) TMDs approach those of Pt. However, the overall current density of 2D TMD catalysts remains orders of magnitude lower (~10–100 mA cm−2) than industrial Pt and Ir electrolysers (>1,000 mA cm−2)10,11. Here, we report the synthesis of the metallic 2H phase of niobium disulfide with additional niobium (2H Nb1+xS2, where x is ~0.35)12 as a HER catalyst with current densities of >5,000 mA cm−2 at ~420 mV versus a reversible hydrogen electrode. We find the exchange current density at 0 V for 2H Nb1.35S2 to be ~0.8 mA cm−2, corresponding to a turnover frequency of ~0.2 s−1. We demonstrate an electrolyser based on a 2H Nb1+ xS2 cathode that can generate current densities of 1,000 mA cm−2. Our theoretical results reveal that 2H Nb1+ xS2 with Nb-terminated surface has free energy for hydrogen adsorption that is close to thermoneutral, facilitating HER. Therefore, 2H Nb1+ xS2 could be a viable catalyst for practical electrolysers.

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