Oxidized carbon fiber supported vertical {WS2} nanosheets arrays as efficient 3 D nanostructure electrocatalyts for hydrogen evolution reaction

By Shang, Xiao; Yan, Kai-Li; Liu, Zi-Zhang; Lu, Shan-Shan; Dong, Bin; Chi, Jing-Qi; Li, Xiao; Liu, Yan-Ru; Chai, Yong-Ming; Liu, Chen-Guang
Published in Applied Surface Science NULL 2017

Abstract

Abstract Oxidized carbon fiber (oCF) as support successfully realizes the vertical growth of uniform {WS2} nanosheets arrays for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) via a facile hydrothermal process. Thanks to oxygen functional groups on oCF, vertical {WS2} nanosheets structures have grown more easily on oCF, which can provide better dispersion, short charge transfer distance and more exposed active sites for {HER} in comparison with bulk {WS2} and {WS2} nanosheets on bare carbon fiber (CF) fabricated at the same condition. The electrochemical measurements confirmed that WS2/oCF possesses better {HER} activity than bulk {WS2} and WS2/CF. Especially, the 10-h stability with unchanged vertical {WS2} nanosheets morphology further demonstrate the positive effect of oxygen functional groups on the enhanced vertical structure and close combination between {WS2} and oCF. It may offer a facile way to realize more exposed active sites from stable electrocatalyst hybrids of transition metal sulfides by surface oxidization of carbon supports.

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