Chalcogen-dependent catalytic properties of RuX2 (X = S/Se/Te) nanoparticles decorated carbon nanofibers for hydrogen evolution in acidic and alkaline media

Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs),with the general formula MX_(2)(M=Mo/W/Fe/Co/Ni,etc.;X=S/Se/Te),have attracted extensive research interests for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Compared with numerous studies on noble-metal-free TMDs,the chalcogen-dependent HER catalytic properties of noble-metal-based TMDs are lack of sufficient research attention.Herein,a facile electrospinning-assisted synthetic strategy is proposed to synthesize ruthenium dichalcogenides(RuX_(2),X=S/Se/Te)nanoparticles decorated carbon nanofibers(CNFs).Benefiting from the identical nanofibrous morphology and exposed crystal planes of RuX_(2)(111),the catalytic activities of RuX_(2)@CNFs samples were investigated and compared in a fair and direct manner.Detailed electrochemical measurements coupled with density functional theory calculations were carried out to probe their intrinsic HER catalytic activities,resulting in the catalytic activity order of RuS_(2)@CNFs>RuSe_(2)@CNFs>RuTe_(2)@CNFs in acidic media and that of RuS_(2)@CNFs>RuTe_(2)@CNFs>RuSe_(2)@CNFs in alkaline media.The superior catalytic performance of RuS_(2)@CNFs mainly stems from the relative lower HER energy barriers and thereby the higher intrinsic catalytic activity of RuS_(2)(111),leading to ultralow overpotentials of 44 and 9 mV at 10 mA·cm^(-2) in acidic and alkaline media,respectively.RuSe_(2)(111)is endowed with the more optimized Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption(ΔGH*)than RuTe_(2)(111),but RuTe_(2)(111)shows enhanced catalytic property for H_(2)O dissociation and OH-desorption than RuSe_(2)(111),therefore,resulting in the altered catalytic activity sequences for RuSe_(2) and RuTe_(2) in acidic and alkaline media.