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Tuning the morphology and phase of MoSe2 by using a mixed solvent of water and dimethyl formamide and its enhanced electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction

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Abstract

Scarce active sites and poor electrical conductivity of molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) impede its practical application as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Addressing these problems, herein, tailoring suitable morphology and introducing metallic 1T phase for the original semiconductive 2H-MoSe2 are adopted. Eventually, the edge-rich 2H/1T-MoSe2 nanoflowers with enlarged interlay spacing were synthesized by using a solvothermal method, where a mixed solvent of water and dimethyl formamide plays a dominating role in regulating the growth of the MoSe2. The resulting MoSe2 electrocatalyst shows enhanced HER activity in 0.5 M H2SO4 in terms of a low overpotential of 250 mV (vs. RHE) at a high current density of 100 mA cm−2, an acceptable Tafel slope of 62 mV dec−1 and excellent stability after a 72-h HER process. This work provides an effective strategy in the development of the high-performance MoSe2-based electrocatalysts for the HER and other energy-related applications.

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Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51671074).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Dazhi Street, Nan Gang District, Harbin, 150001, People’s Republic of China

    **zhu Wu, Beibei Li & **aohong Wu

  2. The Academy of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, 92 West Dazhi Street, Nan Gang District, Harbin, 150001, People’s Republic of China

    Yanbin Shao

  3. Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Heilongjiang River Fishery Research Institute, Harbin, 150001, People’s Republic of China

    Yanchun Sun

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  1. **zhu Wu
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  2. Beibei Li
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  4. **aohong Wu
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Correspondence to **zhu Wu, **aohong Wu or Yanchun Sun.

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Wu, J., Li, B., Shao, Y. et al. Tuning the morphology and phase of MoSe2 by using a mixed solvent of water and dimethyl formamide and its enhanced electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction. J Mater Sci 55, 2129–2138 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-04084-5

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