Unraveling the effects of surface functionalization on the catalytic activity of ReSe2 nanostructures towards the hydrogen evolution reaction
(2023) In Applied Surface Science 612.- Abstract
Herein, the surface functionalization of ReSe2 nanostructures by surfactants was investigated. This was done to understand how the use of various surfactants affects the catalytic activity of ReSe2 nanostructures towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and to determine which surfactant would result in maximal exposure of the active edge sites without impeding the catalytic processes of the HER. Oleylamine (OLA), oleic acid (OA), and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) were used as the surfactants. Powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of ReSe2 nanostructures that crystallized in a distorted 1 T phase triclinic system with a P-1 space group. The FTIR, XPS, NMR, and computational studies... (More)
Herein, the surface functionalization of ReSe2 nanostructures by surfactants was investigated. This was done to understand how the use of various surfactants affects the catalytic activity of ReSe2 nanostructures towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and to determine which surfactant would result in maximal exposure of the active edge sites without impeding the catalytic processes of the HER. Oleylamine (OLA), oleic acid (OA), and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) were used as the surfactants. Powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of ReSe2 nanostructures that crystallized in a distorted 1 T phase triclinic system with a P-1 space group. The FTIR, XPS, NMR, and computational studies revealed that the surfactants bind to the surface of the ReSe2 nanostructures through their respective head groups. The ReSe2 nanostructures synthesized using TOPO (ReSe2-TOPO) had the lowest on-set potential, Tafel slope, and overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 at 73 mV, 58 mV/dec, and 171 mV, respectively. The catalytic performance of the nanostructures was significantly affected by their interaction with the surfactants. A high degree of passivation by the surfactant resulted in poor catalytic activity, and a lower degree of passivation resulted in excellent catalytic activity towards the HER.
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- author
- Ndala, Zakhele B. ; Nkabinde, Siyabonga S. ; Shumbula, Ndivhuwo P. ; Makgae, Ofentse A. LU ; Kolokoto, Tshwarela ; Ek, Martin LU ; Gqoba, Siziwe S. ; Linganiso, Cebisa E. ; Mdluli, Phumlane S. and Moloto, Nosipho
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-03-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- 2D nanomaterials, Colloidal synthesis, Functionalization, Hydrogen evolution reaction, Rhenium diselenide
- in
- Applied Surface Science
- volume
- 612
- article number
- 155971
- pages
- 12 pages
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85143764812
- ISSN
- 0169-4332
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.155971
- project
- Understanding of Catalysts for Climate-Neutral Chemicals by in situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Characterization
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the University of the Witwatersrand, school of chemistry, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) for funding this work. In addition, the authors will like to thank the Wits Microscope and Microanalysis Unit for access to XRD and TEM. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier B.V.
- id
- f6d4e58a-05c8-4547-8aed-16f55a61fe50
- date added to LUP
- 2023-03-09 21:35:56
- date last changed
- 2023-12-07 09:14:52
@article{f6d4e58a-05c8-4547-8aed-16f55a61fe50, abstract = {{<p>Herein, the surface functionalization of ReSe<sub>2</sub> nanostructures by surfactants was investigated. This was done to understand how the use of various surfactants affects the catalytic activity of ReSe<sub>2</sub> nanostructures towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and to determine which surfactant would result in maximal exposure of the active edge sites without impeding the catalytic processes of the HER. Oleylamine (OLA), oleic acid (OA), and trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) were used as the surfactants. Powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of ReSe<sub>2</sub> nanostructures that crystallized in a distorted 1 T phase triclinic system with a P-1 space group. The FTIR, XPS, NMR, and computational studies revealed that the surfactants bind to the surface of the ReSe<sub>2</sub> nanostructures through their respective head groups. The ReSe<sub>2</sub> nanostructures synthesized using TOPO (ReSe<sub>2</sub>-TOPO) had the lowest on-set potential, Tafel slope, and overpotential at 10 mA/cm<sup>2</sup> at 73 mV, 58 mV/dec, and 171 mV, respectively. The catalytic performance of the nanostructures was significantly affected by their interaction with the surfactants. A high degree of passivation by the surfactant resulted in poor catalytic activity, and a lower degree of passivation resulted in excellent catalytic activity towards the HER.</p>}}, author = {{Ndala, Zakhele B. and Nkabinde, Siyabonga S. and Shumbula, Ndivhuwo P. and Makgae, Ofentse A. and Kolokoto, Tshwarela and Ek, Martin and Gqoba, Siziwe S. and Linganiso, Cebisa E. and Mdluli, Phumlane S. and Moloto, Nosipho}}, issn = {{0169-4332}}, keywords = {{2D nanomaterials; Colloidal synthesis; Functionalization; Hydrogen evolution reaction; Rhenium diselenide}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{03}}, publisher = {{Elsevier}}, series = {{Applied Surface Science}}, title = {{Unraveling the effects of surface functionalization on the catalytic activity of ReSe<sub>2</sub> nanostructures towards the hydrogen evolution reaction}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.155971}}, doi = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.155971}}, volume = {{612}}, year = {{2023}}, }