Chem. J. Chinese Universities ›› 2018, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (2): 351.doi: 10.7503/cjcu20170255

• Physical Chemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Preparation and Electrochemical Evaluation of MoS2/graphene as a Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution in Microbial Electrolysis Cell

DAI Hongyan1,2, YANG Huimin1, LIU Xian3, JIAN Xuan1, GUO Minmin1, CAO Lele1, LIANG Zhenhai1,*()   

  1. 1. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
    2. Department of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Taiyuan College, Taiyuan 030032, China
    3. Department of Chemistry, Taiyuan Normal University, Taiyuan 030031, China
  • Received:2017-04-21 Online:2018-02-10 Published:2017-12-23
  • Contact: LIANG Zhenhai E-mail:liangzhenh@sina.com
  • Supported by:
    † Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51703151) and the Natural Science Fund of Shanxi Province, China(No.201601D011023)

Abstract:

A series of MoS2/graphene(MoS2/Gr) composites was prepared via simple hydrothermal method, and loaded on the carbon-based electrode. The as-prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, linear sweep voltammetry, and so on. The hydrogen evolution performance of MoS2/Gr electrode as the cathode of microbial electrolysis cell(MEC) was studied. The results showed that the MoS2/Gr materials held a three-dimensional layered structure, and the molybdenum sulfide loaded on graphene was amorphous MoS2. The composite prepared from 50%(mass fraction) (NH4)2MoS4 and 50%(mass fraction) graphene oxide with a surface density of 1.5 mg/cm2 exhibited the best catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction. In the MEC tests, the MoS2/Gr cathode was comparable with the Pt/C cathode in term of energy efficiency. The average current density of hydrogen production, hydrogen production rate, coulomb efficiency, hydrogen recovery and cathodic hydrogen recovery obtained with MoS2/Gr cathode MEC were (9.96±0.65) A/m2, (0.424±0.041) m3H2/(m3·d), (89.11±5.87)%, (70.47±6.78)% and (78.86±2.49)%, respectively, higher than those obtained with the Pt/C cathode MEC. In addition, the MoS2/Gr cathode exhibited good stability, and it was inexpensive. These advantages make it suitable for practical application.

Key words: MoS2/graphene, Carbon-based electrode, Microbial electrolysis cell, Hydrogen production

CLC Number: 

TrendMD: