Pulsed laser ablation synthesis of nanostructured proton reduction catalysts

Abstract

Emerging global energy demands and the overarching need to reduce fossil fuel consumption have strongly motivated the study of artificial photosynthesis in the past decade. One great challenge is to develop systems that efficiently catalyze the redn. of H+ to H_2. We are investigating the prepn. of catalytic nanoparticles using pulsed laser ablation of solid targets immersed in liqs. (PLAL). PLAL generates picoliter reaction vols. of a liq.-confined plasma characterized by extremes of temp., pressure, and atom d., permitting exploration of extreme regions of materials phase diagrams. Initial efforts have been directed toward MoS_2, a known proton redn. catalyst. PLAL expts. with a powd. MoS_2 target have produced a nanoparticulate material. Full characterization of this material, including evaluation of its electrocatalytic H_2 evolution performance, will be presented. Effects of laser pulse energy, ablation time, and liq. medium on nanoparticle size, compn., morphol., and proton redn. activity will also be examd.