Growth of few-layer flower-like MoS2 on heteroatom-doped activated carbon as a hydrogen evolution reaction electrode

MoS2 is an attractive cost-effective replacement for Pt-catalysts in HER applications, but its usefulness is constrained by weak electrical conductivity and activity density. Herein, a low-cost highly activated carbon/molybdenum disulfide (AC/MoS2) electrocatalyst has been developed through surfactant-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of MoS2 nanosheets on the heteroatom-doped AC derived from green biomass source. The high surface area conductive carbon matrix was prepared through green activation of wasted petal rose flower. To provide the many active edge sites, F108 polymer was utilized to control of the well-distribution of flower-like few-layer MoS2 nanosheets on the nanoporous conductive carbon matrix. The prepared composite demonstrated a low overpotential of 136 mV in 10 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 72 mV dec−1 in 0.5 M H2SO4. Notably, the AC/MoS2 construction displayed significantly lower overpotential than commercial Pt/C catalyst at the current densities higher than 410 mA cm−2.