Microflower-like Co(9)S(8)@MoS(2) heterostructure as an efficient bifunctional catalyst for overall water splitting

The development of a distinguished and high-performance catalyst for H(2) and O(2) generation is a rational strategy for producing hydrogen fuel via electrochemical water splitting. Herein, a flower-like Co(9)S(8)@MoS(2) heterostructure with effective bifunctional activity was achieved using a one-pot approach via the hydrothermal treatment of metal-coordinated species followed by pyrolysis under an N(2) atmosphere. The heterostructures exhibited a 3D interconnected network with a large electrochemical active surface area and a junctional complex with hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalytic activity of MoS(2) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic activity of Co(9)S(8), exhibiting low overpotentials of 295 and 103 mV for OER and HER at 10 mA cm(−2) current density, respectively. Additionally, the catalyst-assembled electrolyser provided favourable catalytic activity and strong durability for overall water splitting in 1 M KOH electrolyte. The results of the study highlight the importance of structural engineering for the design and preparation of cost-effective and efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts.