Surface Modulation of Iron-doped MoS2 Nanosheets by Phytic Acid for Enhanced Water Oxidation.

Surface modulation and heteroatom doping are important approaches for boosting the electrocatalytic performances of MoS2 nanosheets. As a molecular electrocatalyst, the natural organic phytic acid (PA) offer attractive intermediate for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Here, a surface modulation strategy is demonstrated through the decoration of PA onto the basal plane of iron (Fe)-doped MoS2 nanosheets supported on nickel foam (NF) for boosted OER activity. Experimental results indicate that the PA modification and Fe doping could effectively boost the charge transfer and mass transport during the OER process. Specially, PA2-Fe-MoS2 grown on NF (PA2-Fe-MoS2 /NF) exhibits excellent OER activity (218 mV@20 mA cm-2 ) and durability, even superior to RuO2 and many other previously reported OER catalysts. This natural organic molecule modification provides a facile strategy to designing low-cost and efficient electrocatalytic materials.