Electrodeposited MoSx films assisted by liquid crystal template with ultrahigh electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction.

MoS x as a promising electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has the active sites of rims and edges and inert sites of basal plane. A strategy to activate MoS x is to produce more unsaturated S or S vacancies on the inert plane by designing unique nanostructure. Herein, we report a facile electrodeposition assisted by liquid crystal template (LCT) to prepare MoS x film on ITO substrate (MoS x (LCT)). XPS confirms the state of Mo and S of the obtained MoS x film. SEM shows that there are many uniform disk bulges with the diameter of about 100 nm on the surface of MoS x (LCT), which may provide more rims and edges of MoS x . While the electrodeposited MoS x film in water (MoS x (H 2 O)) is a smooth plane structure. The electrochemical measurements show MoS x (LCT) exhibits an ultrahigh activity for HER with the small onsetpotential very close to that of Pt/C, which may be due to not only the uniform disk bulges but also the more unsaturated S atoms of MoS x (LCT). The electrodeposition assisted by LCT may be a novel strategy to prepare novel nanostructure and activate MoS x -based electrocatalysts for HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]