Anchoring ultrafine Ru nanoparticles triggers 2H MoS2 basal plane for efficient dual-pH Hydrogen evolution

Coupling noble metals on molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) has emerged as a promising strategy for triggering inert basal plane and boosting hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performances. Herein, ultrafine Ru nanoparticles (NPs) are decorated on vertical 2H MoS 2 nanosheets via a facile hydrothermal method. Benefiting from new active site centers triggered by ultrafine Ru NPs and vertically grown 2H MoS 2 nanosheets on carbon cloth (CC), Ru 0.15 @2H MoS 2 exhibits impressive HER performances in dual pH media, with low overpotentials of 20 and 111 mV and small Tafel slope of 67.6 and 76.3 mV dec ‑1 in alkaline and acid solutions to drive a current density of 10 mA cm -2 . DFT calculation results prove that ultrafine Ru NPs decorated on 2H MoS 2 nanosheets endow Ru 0.15 @2H MoS 2 with low hydrogen adsorption free energy and fast charge transfer kinetics. This work provides an effective and simple method for designing MoS 2 -based catalysts with high catalytic activity to decorate precious metal in a wide pH medium.