Large-Area, Free-Standing, Two-Dimensional Supramolecular Polymer Single-Layer Sheets for Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

The rational construction of covalent or noncovalent organic two-dimensional nanosheets is a fascinating target because of their promising applications in electronics, membrane technology, catalysis, sensing, and energy technologies. Herein, a large-area (square millimeters) and free-standing 2D supramolecular polymer (2DSP) single-layer sheet (0.7-0.9 nm in thickness), comprising triphenylene-fused nickel bis(dithiolene) complexes has been readily prepared by using the Langmuir-Blodgett method. Such 2DSPs exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activities for hydrogen generation from water with a Tafel slope of 80.5 mV decade^-1 and an overpotential of 333 mV at 10 mA cm^-2, which are superior to that of recently reported carbon nanotube supported molecular catalysts and heteroatom-doped graphene catalysts. This work is promising for the development of novel free-standing organic 2D materials for energy technologies.