Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanocatalyst for Solar-Driven Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical water splitting has been considered as the most promising technology for generating hydrogen energy. Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) compounds have currently attracted tremendous attention due to their outstanding ability towards the catalytic water-splitting hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we report the synthesis method of various transition metal dichalcogenide including MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 nanosheets as excellent catalysts for solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution. Photocathodes were fabricated by growing the nanosheets directly onto Si nanowire (NW) arrays, with a thickness of 20 nm. The metal ion layers were formed by soaking the metal chloride ethanol solution and subsequent sulfurization or selenization produced the transition metal chalcogenide. They all exhibit excellent PEC performance in 0.5 M H2SO4; the photocurrent reaches to 20 mA cm(-2) (at 0 V vs. RHE) and the onset potential is 0.2 V under AM1.5 condition. The quantum efficiency of hydrogen generation is avg. 90%. The stability of MoS2 and MoSe2 is 90% for 3h, which is higher than that (80%) of WS2 and WSe2. Detailed structure analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for before/after HER reveals that the SiWS2 WS2 and Si-WSe2 experience more oxidation of Si NWs than Si-MoS2 and Si-MoSe2. This can be explained by the less protection of Si NW surface by their flake shape morphology. The high catalytic activity of TMDs should be the main cause of this enhanced PEC performance, promising efficient water-splitting Si-based PEC cells.