Intrinsic variations in hydrothermally derived 1T-MoS2: Correlating conductivity with hydrogen evolution performance

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ) is a promising non-precious catalyst for energy applications, accessible via scalable hydrothermal synthesis. Here, temperature-controlled synthesis (130–250 °C) reveals phase evolution from 1T to mixed and ultimately 2H MoS 2 , accompanied by systematic changes in microstructure, conductivity, and yield. Focusing on intrinsic variations within the 1T phase (130–200 °C), we show that synthesis temperature critically governs electrical conductivity and catalytic performance. In contrast to conventional 1T/2H comparisons, this study highlights subtle yet significant differences between 1T materials synthesized at 130 and 200 °C. Notably, 1T-200 exhibits enhanced metastability, including a shelf life exceeding one year, tolerance to thermal treatment up to 300 °C, and high durability under acidic HER conditions. It also undergoes more controlled transformation into crystalline 2H compared to 1T-130. These findings provide new insights into the structure–property–stability relationship of hydrothermally derived 1T-MoS 2 , supporting its potential for durable electrocatalysis and energy storage applications.