Synergistic effects of 1T-2H MoS2 nanoflowers modified with Ag3PO4 nanoclusters for highly efficient electrochemical activity

The development of highly efficient binary heterostructures with enhanced electrocatalytic activities is vital for reducing the energy consumed by the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we successfully design and synthesize an eco-friendly Ag3PO4/1T-2H MoS2 heterostructure to catalyze the HER process. Micromorphology and microstructure studies show that the Ag3PO4 nanoclusters are well dispersed with abundant catalytically active sites on the surface of the 1T-2H MoS2 nanoflowers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the stable oxidation state and electronic interactions in the 2 wt% Ag3PO4/1T-2H MoS2 nanostructure. Benefitting from the strong electronic interactions and advantages of abundant heterogeneous interfaces and catalytically active sites, the 2 wt% Ag3PO4/1T-2H MoS2 heterostructure delivers excellent and durable electrochemical HER activity in alkaline solution, with a low overpotential of 149 mV for the HER at 10 mA cm−2, in clear improvement over 1T-2H MoS2. The enhanced electrocatalytic activity is ascribed to the abundant catalytically active sites, rapid charge transport, and Ag3PO4/1T-2H MoS2 synergism. This study provides a novel strategy for exploring and synthesizing low-cost binary electrocatalysts that enhance the electrochemical HER performance in energy-conversion applications.