Graphene-like WSe2 nanosheets for efficient and stable hydrogen evolution

Abstract

The development of efficient catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen evolution is essential for energy conversion. As a new kind of two-dimensional semiconductor, tungsten selenide (WSe2) has emerged as a promising electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, graphene-like few-layered WSe2 nanosheets are synthesized through a facile, low-cost and one-pot solvothermal reaction, which has been confirmed by XRD, Raman, XPS, SEM and TEM. Compared with previous reports of WSe2, the graphene-like WSe2 exhibits an excellent HER performance with a small Tafel slope of 78 mV dec−1, a low onset potential of ∼150 mV and a very long-term stability. The remarkable enhancement in catalytic performance of graphene-like WSe2 is attributed to its unique porous nanostructure with many exposed edge sites, which can provide abundant active reaction sites. The graphene-like WSe2 is a promising catalyst for high-performance hydrogen evolution.