Irregularly Shaped Bimetallic Chalcogenide Ag₈SnS₆ Nanoparticles as Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution

Bimetallic chalcogenides, with several excellent properties, have been reported to be promising electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in the past few years. Hence, it is of great interest to develop more bimetallic chalcogenides in the relevant fields. Herein, Ag8SnS6 nanoparticles with different Ag/Sn ratios have been synthesized by adjusting the precursor molar ratio via a facile hydrothermal method, among which the sample obtained at SnBr2/AgNO3 = 1/6 exhibits the best performance for HER. After coupling with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the catalytic performance of Ag8SnS6 nanoparticles can be improved significantly owing to the enhanced charge transport. The resultant Ag8SnS6 + CNT composite shows efficient electrocatalytic activity and good stability for HER in an acid solution. This study reveals the electrocatalytic performance of Ag8SnS6 nanoparticles in HER for the first time and provides a useful guide for the optimization of an HER electrocatalyst.