Functionalization of 2H-MoS2 with Pt Nanoclusters for HER in Alkaline Solutions and Supercapacitors

Abstract

Noble metals offer a wide range of potential catalysis applications, particularly in fuel cells and supercapacitors. The decoration strategy is a promising efficient strategy to address the limited structural flexibility and enhance the performance of noble metal electrode materials. Herein, we report a facile method to synthesize the nanocomposites with Pt nanoclusters (NCs) decorated on the surface of 2H-MoS₂ nanosheets (Pt NCs@2H-MoS₂). Fortunately, Pt NCs@2H-MoS₂ demonstrates excellent catalytic activity and stability toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solutions, along with satisfactory electrochemical characteristics for supercapacitors (SCs). Specifically, a low overpotential of 61.2 mV at 10 A g^–1 and 98% retention after 10 h can be achieved for the HER, which is comparable to the commercial Pt/C catalysts. When used as electrode materials for supercapacitors, a high specific capacitance of 284 F g^–1 can be achieved at a scan rate of 5 mV s^–1 in 1 M KOH. Consequently, these results demonstrate that the noble metal-decorated transition metal materials strategy offers significant potential for economically and sustainably electrochemical applications.