Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS2 and MoS2 via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions

Fuel cells are emerging devices as clean and renewable energy sources, provided their efficiency is increased. In this work, we prepared nanocomposites based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), namely WS2 and MoS2<...

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Main Authors:	Pedro Ferreira, Bárbara Abreu, Cristina Freire, Diana M. Fernandes, Eduardo F. Marques
Format:	Article
Language:	English
Published:	MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:	Materials
Subjects:	nanocomposites transition metal dichalcogenides carbon nanotubes surfactants non-covalent functionalization electrocatalysis
Online Access:	https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/4/896

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spelling	doaj-d45a3bac7b654668aa245706233310d22021-02-14T00:02:31ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442021-02-011489689610.3390/ma14040896Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen ReactionsPedro Ferreira0Bárbara Abreu1Cristina Freire2Diana M. Fernandes3Eduardo F. Marques4Centro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, PortugalCentro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, PortugalREQUIMTE-LAQV, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, PortugalREQUIMTE-LAQV, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, PortugalCentro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4169-007 Porto, PortugalFuel cells are emerging devices as clean and renewable energy sources, provided their efficiency is increased. In this work, we prepared nanocomposites based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), namely WS<sub>2 </sub>and MoS<sub>2</sub>, and evaluated their performance as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), relevant to fuel cells. The one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) building blocks were initially exfoliated and non-covalently functionalized by surfactants of opposite charge in aqueous media (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, TTAB, for the nanotubes and sodium cholate, SC, for the dichalcogenides), and thereafter, the three-dimensional (3D) MoS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT and WS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT composites were assembled via surfactant-mediated electrostatic interactions. The nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and structural differences were found. WS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT and MoS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT show moderate ORR performance with potential onsets of 0.71 and 0.73 V vs. RHE respectively, and diffusion-limiting current densities of −1.87 and −2.74 mA·cm<sup>−2</sup>, respectively. Both materials present, however, better tolerance to methanol crossover when compared to Pt/C and good stability. Regarding OER performance, MoS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT exhibits promising results, with <i>η</i><sub>10</sub> and <i>j</i><sub>max</sub> of 0.55 V and 17.96 mA·cm<sup>−2</sup>, respectively. The fabrication method presented here is cost-effective, robust and versatile, opening the doors for the optimization of electrocatalysts’ performance.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/4/896nanocompositestransition metal dichalcogenidescarbon nanotubessurfactantsnon-covalent functionalizationelectrocatalysis
collection	DOAJ
language	English
format	Article
sources	DOAJ
author	Pedro Ferreira Bárbara Abreu Cristina Freire Diana M. Fernandes Eduardo F. Marques
spellingShingle	Pedro Ferreira Bárbara Abreu Cristina Freire Diana M. Fernandes Eduardo F. Marques Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions Materials nanocomposites transition metal dichalcogenides carbon nanotubes surfactants non-covalent functionalization electrocatalysis
author_facet	Pedro Ferreira Bárbara Abreu Cristina Freire Diana M. Fernandes Eduardo F. Marques
author_sort	Pedro Ferreira
title	Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions
title_short	Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions
title_full	Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions
title_fullStr	Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions
title_full_unstemmed	Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions
title_sort	nanocomposites prepared from carbon nanotubes and the transition metal dichalcogenides ws<sub>2</sub> and mos<sub>2</sub> via surfactant-assisted dispersions as electrocatalysts for oxygen reactions
publisher	MDPI AG
series	Materials
issn	1996-1944
publishDate	2021-02-01
description	Fuel cells are emerging devices as clean and renewable energy sources, provided their efficiency is increased. In this work, we prepared nanocomposites based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), namely WS<sub>2 </sub>and MoS<sub>2</sub>, and evaluated their performance as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), relevant to fuel cells. The one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) building blocks were initially exfoliated and non-covalently functionalized by surfactants of opposite charge in aqueous media (tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, TTAB, for the nanotubes and sodium cholate, SC, for the dichalcogenides), and thereafter, the three-dimensional (3D) MoS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT and WS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT composites were assembled via surfactant-mediated electrostatic interactions. The nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and structural differences were found. WS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT and MoS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT show moderate ORR performance with potential onsets of 0.71 and 0.73 V vs. RHE respectively, and diffusion-limiting current densities of −1.87 and −2.74 mA·cm<sup>−2</sup>, respectively. Both materials present, however, better tolerance to methanol crossover when compared to Pt/C and good stability. Regarding OER performance, MoS<sub>2</sub>@MWNT exhibits promising results, with <i>η</i><sub>10</sub> and <i>j</i><sub>max</sub> of 0.55 V and 17.96 mA·cm<sup>−2</sup>, respectively. The fabrication method presented here is cost-effective, robust and versatile, opening the doors for the optimization of electrocatalysts’ performance.
topic	nanocomposites transition metal dichalcogenides carbon nanotubes surfactants non-covalent functionalization electrocatalysis
url	https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/4/896
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Nanocomposites Prepared from Carbon Nanotubes and the Transition Metal Dichalcogenides WS<sub>2</sub> and MoS<sub>2</sub> via Surfactant-Assisted Dispersions as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reactions

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