Mechanochemical Coupling of MoS₂ and Perovskites for Hydrogen Generation

In this contribution, we propose to couple MoS₂ with a perovskite oxide via ball milling, which activates the MoS₂ and protects the perovskite oxide. Among the different MoS₂/perovskite combinations studied, MoS₂/LaNiO_3-δ (LNO) stands out as the most active material toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with a performance far beyond that of pristine and milled LNO and MoS₂ alone in both alkaline and acidic electrolytes. It is likely that, in alkaline media, LNO works as a hydroxyl acceptor, reducing the charge transfer resistance during water disassociation. In contrast, in acidic solutions the electronic interaction occurring in the MoS₂/LNO hybrid contributes to a higher proportion of terminal S₂^2- and S^2- ions, leading to an increased number of active sites. This contribution serves as the first report of a hybrid material combining the strength of MoS₂ and perovskite oxides, opening up new opportunities to boost the HER activity of transition metal dichalcogenides.