A General Method for the Synthesis of Hybrid Nanostructures Using MoSe(2) Nanosheet-Assembled Nanospheres as Templates

The layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and transition metal phosphides are low-cost, earth-abundant, and robust electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Integrating them into hybrid nanostructures is potentially promising to further boost the catalytic activity toward HER based on their synergistic effects. Herein, we report a general method for the synthesis of a series of MoSe(2)-based hybrid nanostructures, including MoSe(2)-Ni(2)P, MoSe(2)-Co(2)P, MoSe(2)-Ni, MoSe(2)-Co, and MoSe(2)-NiS, by postgrowth of Ni(2)P, Co(2)P, Ni, Co, and NiS nanostructures on the presynthesized MoSe(2) nanosheet-assembled nanospheres, respectively, via a colloidal synthesis method. As a proof-of-concept application, the as-synthesized hybrid nanostructures are used as electrocatalysts for HER, exhibiting high activity and stability in acidic media. Among them, the MoSe(2)-Co(2)P composite shows the highest HER activity with an overpotential of 167 mV at 10 mA cm(−2).