Huge research interest has been paid to produce the robust, efficient and large area electrodes based on non-noble electrocatalyst as an alternative of Pt. Herein, we report the facile synthesis of cobalt sulphide (CoS) based electrocatalyst with polycrystalline structure and non-uniform morphology. Also, flexible, robust, large area and bio-degradable electrodes on paper are prepared. Owing to different metal electronic states like Co²⁺ and Co³⁺, CoS electrocatalyst show rapid hydrogen evolution reaction. CoS based electrodes shows HER activity with overpotential of 284 mV in alkaline medium and 198 mV in acidic medium. In alkaline medium, electrodes follow sluggish Volmer reaction while in acidic, dynamic Heyrovsky-Volmer reaction is step determining reaction step. Paper based electrodes functionalised by CoS electrocatalyst advocate the futuristic development of non-noble electrodes for clean energy generation via electrocatalytic HER.

以非贵金属电催化剂作为 Pt 的替代品，生产坚固、高效和大面积的电极已经引起了巨大的研究兴趣。在此，我们报告了具有多晶结构和非均匀形态的硫化钴（CoS）基电催化剂的简便合成。此外，还制备了柔性、坚固、大面积和可生物降解的纸上电极。由于不同的金属电子态，如 Co ²⁺和 Co ³⁺, CoS 电催化剂表现出快速的析氢反应。基于 CoS 的电极显示 HER 活性，碱性介质中的过电位为 284 mV，酸性介质中的过电位为 198 mV。在碱性介质中，电极遵循缓慢的 Volmer 反应，而在酸性、动态的 Heyrovsky-Volmer 反应中是步骤决定反应步骤。由 CoS 电催化剂功能化的纸基电极提倡未来发展非贵金属电极，以通过电催化 HER 产生清洁能源。