Electrocatalytic hydrogen gas generation by Cobalt Molybdenum disulfide (CoMoS2) synthesized using alkyl-containing thiomolybdate precursors

Cobalt molybdenum disulfide, (CoMoS2) catalysts were evaluated as active electrocatalysts for the production of hydrogen gas in acidic aqueous media. These highly-active HER catalysts were obtained from pretreatment of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (ATM) with different amines precursors, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Their surface areas were determined by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. Electrochemical studies indicate that these CoMoS2 materials catalyze proton reduction to hydrogen gas with overpotentials ranging from –0.180 to –0.227 V vs. RHE. These materials achive current densities from 11.5 to 17.2 mA/cm2 at potential of –0.5 V vs RHE and show great stability for 10 h electrolysis in 0.5 M H2SO4 aqueous solution. Chao Zhang czhang3@utep.edu 915-747-6717