One-step method to achieve multiple decorations on lamellar MoS2 to synergistically enhance the electrocatalytic HER performance.

Lamellar MoS 2 has attracted widespread attention as a potential electrocatalytic HER (Hydrogen evolution reaction) catalyst. However, it is difficult to further improve its catalytic activity due to two major drawbacks: the limited number of active sites and its poor conductivity. Here, we adopt a one-step method utilizing an ultrafast pulsed laser treatment to produce multiple decorations on lamellar MoS 2 , where nanocrystallization and amorphization of lamellar MoS 2 are achieved simultaneously, along with an additional characteristic of atomic steps. Due to this special microstructure, laser-treated MoS 2 exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance with a low overpotential and a small Tafel slope (217 mV @ 10 mA cm−2 and 74.5 mV dec−1, respectively), which is superior to that of untreated lamellar MoS 2 (461 mV @ 10 mA cm−2 and 142.6 mV dec−1, respectively). The MoS 2 prepared in this way has a high catalytic activity and a high stability, which indicates potential for electrocatalysis applications. • We proposed a one-step method using ultrafast pulsed laser treatment to enhance the HER performance of lamellar MoS 2. • We prepared ultra-small MoS 2 nanoparticles, amorphization, and atomic steps in situ on lamellar MoS 2. • The performance of treated MoS 2 is far superior to that of MoS 2 before laser treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]