Graphene dispersant-assisted in situ growth of Re-doped MoS2 nanosheets on carbon cloth and their performance for hydrogen evolution reaction

Uniform distribution of electrochemically active transition metal compounds on carbon cloth can effective improve their hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance, however, harsh chemical treatment of carbon substrates is always unavoidable during this process. Herein, a hydrogen protonated polyamino perylene bisimide (HAPBI) was used as interface active agent for the in situ growth of rhenium (Re) doped MoS2 nanosheets on carbon cloth (Re-MoS2/CC). HAPBI contains a large conjugated core and multiple cationic groups and has been shown to be an effective graphene dispersant. It endowed the carbon cloth excellent hydrophilicity through simple noncovalent functionalization and, meanwhile, provided sufficient active sites to anchor MoO42- and ReO4- via electrostatic interaction. Uniform and stable Re-MoS2/CC composites were facilely obtained by immersing carbon cloth in HAPBI solution followed by hydrothermal treatment in the precursor solution. The doping of Re induced the formation of 1 T phase MoS2, which reached about 40% in the mixture with 2H phase MoS2. Electrochemical measurements showed an overpotential of 183 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in 0.5 mol L-1 H2SO4 when the molar ratio of Re to Mo is 1:100. This strategy can be further extended to construct other electrocatalysts that using graphene, carbon nanotubes, etc. as conductive additives.