Mn-doped WSe2 as an efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen production and as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

The ongoing energy crisis has made it imperative to develop low-cost, easily fabricated, yet efficient materials. It is highly desirable for these nanomaterials to function effectively in multiple applications. Among transition metal dichalcogenides, tungsten diselenide (WSe₂) shows great promise but remains understudied. In this work, we doped WSe₂ with Mn using a simple hydrothermal method. The resulting material exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction, achieving a low overpotential of −0.28 V vs. RHE at −10 mA cm⁻², enhanced conductivity, and high stability and durability. Moreover, as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries, the Mn-doped WSe₂ outperformed pristine WSe₂, reaching initial discharge capacities of 1223 and 922 mA h g⁻¹, respectively. Additionally, the Mn-doped material maintained a significantly higher discharge capacity of 201 mA h g⁻¹ compared to intact WSe₂, which had 68 mA h g⁻¹ after 150 cycles. This work offers novel insights into designing efficient bifunctional nanomaterials using transition metal dichalcogenides.