Nanoporous hollow transition metal chalcogenide nanosheets synthesized via the anion-exchange reaction of metal hydroxides with chalcogenide ions.

Nanoporous hollow transition metal chalcogenides are of special interest for a variety of promising applications. Although some advanced synthetic methods have been reported, the development of a facile and general strategy to fabricate porous hollow nanostructures of transition metal chalcogenides, especially with enhanced electrocatalytic performance, still remains highly challenged. Herein, we report a facile chemical transformation strategy to prepare nanoporous hollow Co3S4 nanosheets via the anion exchange reaction of Co(OH)2 with sulfide ions. The chemical transformation mechanism involves the as-formed layer of nanoporous cobalt sulfide on Co(OH)2 driven by the anion-exchange-reaction and lattice mismatch induced quick strain release, a following diffusion-effect-dominated core-shell hollow intermediate with hollow interiors, and subsequent Ostwald ripening growth of hollow nanosheets at elevated temperatures. This anion-exchange strategy of transition metal hydroxides with chalcogenide ions is also suitable for fabricating nanoporous hollow nanosheets of other metal chalcogenides (e.g., CoSe2, CoTe2, CdS, and NiS). The as-prepared nanoporous hollow Co3S4 nanosheets are found to be highly active and stable for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction.