Fe doped 1T/2H MoS2/reduced graphene oxide for hydrogen evolution reaction

Iron-decorated molybdenum disulfide/reduced graphene oxide (Fe-MoS₂/rGO) composites with high 1T-MoS₂ content were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process for application as catalysts in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Introducing Fe atoms in the synthesis of Fe-MoS₂/rGO induced a partial phase transition from 2 H to 1 T in MoS₂. The resulting composites exhibited well-dispersed, vertically oriented, petaloid-like 1 T/2H-Fe-MoS₂ nanostructures on the surface of rGO, thereby enhancing the specific surface area. The unique morphology, the presence of the 1 T metallic phase, and the intimate integration with rGO contributed to exceptional HER activity and stability. The structural characteristics of the materials were confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The morphological features of the synthesized materials were assessed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. The electrochemical properties of the electrodes were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The Fe-MoS₂/rGO composites exhibited a low overpotential of 197 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² and a Tafel slope of 53 mV dec⁻¹ . Additionally, they demonstrated remarkable stability, retaining 96.8 % of their performance after 3000 CV cycles over a 12-hour period. This study thus introduces an innovative phase engineering strategy for the design of efficient electrocatalysts based on 1T-MoS₂, aimed at enhancing the performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction.