LAUSR

A hybrid catalyst, Pt nanocrystals deposited on the surface of MoS2 vertically standing nanoplatelets, is synthesized via chemical vapor deposition and subsequent thermal annealing (TA) of Pt precursor. The hybrid material shows promising results as an electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). By varying Pt synthesis conditions—precursor loading and TA temperature—the deposition sites, size, and morphology of the Pt nanostructure can be controlled. The size effect of a Pt nanoparticle on catalytic activity and sintering resistance is discussed. Results show that higher Pt loading yields better HER performance despite smaller specific surface area; higher TA temperature delivers larger average particle size of Pt crystals and lower HER activity. Larger average size leads to fast sintering and thus poor durability of the catalyst. On the basis of the correlation between HER performance and growth behaviors of Pt on MoS2 surfaces, an optimization route for a highly active and stable cocataly...