Catalyzing the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) with Molybdenum Sulfide Nanomaterials

We discuss recent developments in nanostructured molybdenum sulfide catalysts for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction. To develop a framework for performing consistent and meaningful comparisons between catalysts, we review standard experimental methodologies for measuring catalyst performance and define two metrics used in this perspective for comparing catalyst activity: the turnover frequency, an intrinsic activity metric, and the total electrode activity, a device-oriented activity metric. We discuss general strategies for synthesizing catalysts with improved activity, namely, increasing the number of electrically accessible active sites or increasing the turnover frequency of each site. Then…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• SU
  Stanford University
• C
  Carlsbergfondet
• FC
  Fuel Cell Technologies Program

  Awards: subcontract NFT-9-88567-01, under Prime Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Awards: DE-SC0008685, DE-SC0001060