Nanosheet MoS₂-Decorated MoO₂ on Porous Carbon as Electrodes for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution

To optimize the disadvantage of low conductivity and few active sites of MoS2-based catalysts, in situ growth on carbonized wood (CW) through coupling of conductive materials and MoS2 can be a proven strategy. Herein, a three-dimensional self-supporting electrode with a heterostructure of nanosheet MoS2-decorated MoO2 grown on CW (MoS2-MoO2/CW) is prepared for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) via a simple two-step chemical vapor deposition strategy. The coupling of MoS2 and MoO2 with excellent electrical conductivity and the rational design of three-dimensional self-supporting electrodes are the key factors to improve the catalytic performance. The designed MoS2-MoO2/CW electrode has a potential of 148 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2, a low Tafel slope of 86.7 mV dec–1, and outstanding long-term stability in 0.5 M H2SO4. Consequently, wood-based porous carbon electrodes with a heterogeneous structure of nanosheet MoS2-decorated MoO2 can provide meaningful references for MoS2-based electrocatalysts.