MoS2 Nanosheet-Modified CuInS2 Photocatalyst for Visible-Light-Driven Hydrogen Production from Water

• Published in: ChemSusChem Vol. 9; no. 9; pp. 1003 - 1009
• Main Authors: Yuan, Yong-Jun, Chen, Da-Qin, Huang, Yan-Wei, Yu, Zhen-Tao, Zhong, Jia-Song, Chen, Ting-Ting, Tu, Wen-Guang, Guan, Zhong-Jie, Cao, Da-Peng, Zou, Zhi-Gang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 10.05.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Catalysis; Copper - chemistry; Copper - radiation effects; Disulfides - chemistry; Disulfides - radiation effects; Hydrogen - chemistry; Indium - chemistry; Indium - radiation effects; Light; Molybdenum - chemistry; Molybdenum - radiation effects; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - radiation effects; noble-metal-free; photocatalyst; solar hydrogen generation; visible-light; Water - chemistry; water splitting; noble-metal-free; visible-light; water splitting; photocatalyst; solar hydrogen generation
• ISSN: 1864-5631; 1864-564X
• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201600006

Exploiting photocatalysts respond to visible light is of huge challenge for photocatalytic H2 production. Here, we synthesize a new composite material consisting of few‐layer MoS2 nanosheets grown on CuInS2 surface as an efficient photocatalyst for solar H2 generation. The photocatalytic results demonstrate that the 3 wt % MoS2/CuInS2 photocatalyst exhibits the highest H2 generation rate of 316 μmol h−1 g−1 under visible light irradiation, which is almost 28 times higher than that of CuInS2. Importantly, the MoS2/CuInS2 photocatalyst shows a much higher photocatalytic activity than that of Pt‐loaded CuInS2 photocatalyst. The enhanced photocatalytic activities of MoS2/CuInS2 photocatalysts can be attributed to the improved charge separation at the interface of MoS2 and CuInS2, which is demonstrated by the significant enhancement of photocurrent responses in MoS2/CuInS2 photoelectrodes. This work presents a noble‐metal‐free photocatalyst that responds to visible light for solar H2 generation. Photo‐Mo‐catalyst: Narrow‐bandgap semiconductor CuInS2 is reported to be an active photocatalyst for solar H2 generation under visible‐light irradiation after loading few‐layer MoS2 nanosheets as the cocatalyst. The microsphere‐like MoS2/CuInS2 photocatalyst exhibits high H2‐evolution activity and excellent cycling stability when Na2S and Na2SO3 are used as the sacrificial agents.