The formation of a hybrid structure from tungsten selenide and oxide plates for a hydrogen-evolution electrocatalyst

Abstract

It has been found that the pulsed laser deposition of a thin tungsten selenide film, followed by thermal treatment at 550°C in an Ar + O2 mixture of gases, results in the formation of a hybrid structure that is made up of ultrathin WSe2 and WO3–y platelets. The structural and size characteristics of the nanoplatelets deposited on microcrystalline graphite provide the effective hydrogen evolution reaction in a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution, with the cathode current made about seven times higher at a potential of–100 mV and the slope of the Tafel characteristic reduced from 340 to 90 mV/dec.