Boosting green hydrogen production with ZnS@MoS2 2D materials: A structural, electrochemical and photocatalytic analysis

Abstract

Sustainable green hydrogen production and utilization is one of the serious options to net-zero emission and to mitigate climate change. Herein, a range of techniques has been employed to extricate structural alterations and assess electrochemical (EC) and photocatalytic (PC) properties of MoS2 and ZnS deposited MoS2 (ZnS@MoS2) 2D Materials for green hydrogen production. These 2D materials were explored via a simple hydrothermal method. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis of ZnS@MoS2 2D materials disclosed significant structural transformations, attributed to ZnS deposition, evident through peak shifts and the emergence of new peaks. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed distinct flower-like, petal-arranged formations in MoS2 and ZnS@MoS2, while as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images provided insights into the nanoscale structure and the d‐spacing of MoS2 and ZnS@MoS2 materials. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy were utilized to determine elemental composition, chemical states, and structural characteristics. Electrochemical assessments showed that MoS2 exhibited a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with an onset potential of −0.3 V, whereas ZnS@MoS2 demonstrated an improved HER with an onset potential of −0.25 V (relative to Ag/AgCl). Notably, the ultra-low overpotential (η@10) of −0.40 V for MoS2 and −0.30 V for ZnS@MoS2, underlined their exceptional catalytic effectiveness. Moreover, ZnS@MoS2 material accomplished an improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 4663.5 µmolh−1g−1, surpassing MoS2’s rate of 3318.85 µmolh−1g−1. In conclusion, it is believed that ZnS@MoS2 material can be a potential candidate for green hydrogen production, not only by splitting ultrapure water but future work will explore the catalyst’s performance in seawater electrolysis.