Molybdenum Disulfide as an Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Water splitting using the electricity from renewable energy sources offers a clean and sustainable way to produce H-2 and meanwhile an advanced energy conversion technology. Thus it is expected to play a vital role in the future clean energy economy. Crucial to enabling this ideal vision is the development of high-performance and cost-effective electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a representative non-precious HER catalyst. A panoramic view of its researches and developments clearly shows that leading theoretical perspectives, logical material design, novel synthesis methods and advanced characterization technologies are the key components of a successful electrocatalyst implementation. At the same time, it also reflects the current research mode and points out the development directions of the electrocatalysts. This review covers a sequence of key discoveries and achievements that mark the development of MoS2 as a HER electrocatalyst, with special focuses on the implementation, effect and mechanism of the modification strategies including increasing the number of active edge sites, improvement of electrical conductivity and activation of inert basal planes. Finally, we briefly discuss the enlightenment from the studies of MoS2 electrocatalyst and look forward to the future trends of this appealing electrocatalytic material.