Molybdenum sulfide, due to its relatively narrow band gap, is being considered as a catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction. Cluster reactivity studies, via mass spectrometric analysis of products formed in a high-pressure, fast-flow reactor, have been conducted between molybdenum sulfide cluster anions (98MoxSy–) and water in an effort to characterize the molecular–scale interactions which occur at the active sites of the catalytic material. In order to definitely assign the observed reactions, a thorough investigation has been completed using three variations of water: H2O, D2O, and H218O. As a result, the cluster anions have clearly been seen to undergo a combination of direct oxidation and water addition reactions. The findings of this study can be used to further efforts toward using molybdenum sulfide as a catalyst to make hydrogen gas from water.

Water reactivity of molybdenum sulfide cluster anions

256th National Meeting (2018)

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