Cerium-doped 1 T phase enriched MoS₂ flower-like nanoflakes for boosting hydrogen evolution reaction

MoS₂ has drawn worthwhile attention in the area of hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) owing to its exceptional catalytic performance. Nonetheless, its activity is still limited by an inert substrate. Thus, doping with rare earth heteroatoms is an effective strategy to maximize its electrocatalytic activity. Here, we utilize a facile hydrothermal approach to synthesize Ce-doped MoS₂. The investigation reveals that the amount of Ce doped has an impact on the efficiency of HER. The optimal amount of Ce doped can alter the morphology, defects, and electronic structure of MoS₂, and further boosting its HER performance. Ce_0.1-MoS₂ has a lower overpotential of 113.78 mV in H₂SO₄ at 10 mA cm⁻², with a lower Tafel slope, and ideal electrochemical active surface area. Moreover, the electrocatalyst demonstrates excellent durability for 10 h. This work unveils a dissimilar perspective for the synthesis of excellent HER activity MoS₂-based catalysts.