Preparation of 1T′-Phase ReS_2<i>x</i>Se_{2(1-<i>x</i>)} (<i>x</i> = 0–1) Nanodots for Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

As a source of clean energy, a reliable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) requires robust and highly efficient catalysts. Here, by combining chemical vapor transport and Li-intercalation, we have prepared a series of 1T'-phase ReS_{2 x}Se_{2(1- x)} ( x = 0-1) nanodots to achieve high-performance HER in acid medium. Among them, the 1T'-phase ReSSe nanodot exhibits the highest hydrogen evolution activity, with a Tafel slope of 50.1 mV dec^-1 and a low overpotential of 84 mV at current density of 10 mA cm^-2. The excellent hydrogen evolution activity is attributed to the optimal hydrogen absorption energy of the active site induced by the asymmetric S vacancy in the highly asymmetric 1T' crystal structure.