Ag-Decorated MoS_x Laminar-Film Electrocatalyst Made with Simple and Scalable Magnetron Sputtering Technique for Hydrogen Evolution: A Defect Model to Explain the Enhanced Electron Transport

The active edge site, surface defect, and noble-metal nanoparticle have been engineered to improve the electrocatalytic activity of earth-abundant and layered MoS2, but there was no single and facile process to achieve all yet. Here, basal-plane-defected Ag/MoSx lamellae with different Ag contents were deposited by one-step, single-cermet target (ceramic + metal) magnetron sputtering for the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Ag/MoSx (10 vol %) showed a current density of 10 mA/cm2 at an overpotential of 120 mV with a Tafel slope of 42 mV/dec in a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. The HER performance of Ag-MoSx lamellae was higher than that of the Ag-free one due to the activated basal antisite defects and the decorated Ag for enhancing electron transport. The green magnetron sputtering technique together with the target design has achieved Ag/MoSx lamellae with the film grown using the advantages of active edge-up lamella, S vacancy-type basal sites, and electron transport-enhanced Ag interconnect for enhancing hydrogen evolution.