Two-Dimensional Layered Materials: High-Efficient Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Hydrogen production via water splitting is considered to be one of the most promising technologies in the future hydrogen economy, where the critical challenge in this technology is exploring high-efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts. Currently, extensive works from both experimental and theoretical investigations have shown that two-dimensional (2D) layered materials can be highly energetic electrocatalysts for electrically driven hydrogen production. Herein, recent progress in 2D layered materials such as electrocatalysts, including graphene, graphitic carbon nitride, transitional-metal dichalcogenides, and MXenes for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) will be systematically discussed and summarized. This review provides a broad overview on a wide range of strategies to design and fabricate 2D layered materials as electrocatalysts with high-catalytic performance for HER and aims to give potential avenues for the design of catalysts for commercial applications. In addition, the key scientific issues to address the 2D layered materials as HER catalysts are highlighted, and the perspective on the future development is given at the end.