Electrocatalytic synergy from Ni-enhanced WS2 for alkaline overall water splitting with tuning electronic structure and crystal phase transformation

Chenyu Song; Jishuang Yang; Shuangting Ren; Shree Kesavan Kannan; Shanhu Liu; Ruimin Xing

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2025.01.194

Electrocatalytic synergy from Ni-enhanced WS₂ for alkaline overall water splitting with tuning electronic structure and crystal phase transformation

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2025 Jan 22:685:804-812. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.01.194. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chenyu Song¹, Jishuang Yang¹, Shuangting Ren¹, Shree Kesavan Kannan², Shanhu Liu², Ruimin Xing³

Affiliations

¹ Henan Key Laboratory of Polyoxometalate Chemistry, School of Energy Science and Technology, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, PR China.
² College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, PR China.
³ Henan Key Laboratory of Polyoxometalate Chemistry, School of Energy Science and Technology, Henan University, Zhengzhou 450046, PR China. Electronic address: rmxing@henu.edu.cn.

PMID: 39864390
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2025.01.194

Abstract

Due to the limited active sites and poor conductivity, the application of tungsten disulfide (WS₂) in alkaline water electrolysis remains a challenge. Herein, Ni-WS₂ nanosheet arrays were in situ grown on the carbon fiber paper (Ni-WS₂/CFP) as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media, and the introduction degree of Ni can be regulated by adjusting the electrodeposition time. When the electrodeposition time is 3 min, Ni ions are doped into the lattice of WS₂, and by prolonging the electrodeposition time to 10 min, the nickel disulfide (NiS₂) crystal phase is generated to form NiS₂@WS₂ heterojunction. The optimized Ni-WS₂/CFP-10 min catalyst requires the overpotentials of 65 mV for HER and 251 mV for OER to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm^-2. A two-electrode water electrolysis device employing the Ni-WS₂/CFP-10 min electrocatalyst requires a cell voltage of 1.63 V at the current density of 10 mA cm^-2. This work provides a new perspective for enhancing the electrocatalytic performance of WS₂-based electrocatalysts by introducing heteroatoms and constructing heterojunction.

Keywords: Alkaline overall water splitting; Electrodeposition; Heterojunction; Hydrogen evolution reaction; Oxygen evolution reaction; WS(2).