One-pot synthesis of 3D Cu2S–MoS2 nanocomposites by an ionic liquid-assisted strategy with high photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Novel 3D Cu₂S–MoS₂(x : y) nanocomposites with different proportions of Cu₂S (x) and MoS₂ (y) are synthesized successfully by a one-step hydrothermal method with the assistance of the ionic liquid [BMIM]SCN. The characterization results show that the nanocomposites are self-assembled from nanosheets of Cu₂S and MoS₂, they display nanoflower morphology and a typical mesoporous structure. The fabrication mechanism of the nanocomposites is investigated using time-dependent experiments, which indicate the key role of the ionic liquid (IL) in the synthesis process. Furthermore, TAA is used as a sulfur source instead of the IL to form a Cu₂S–MoS₂ nanocomposite, with the aim of further investigating the effects of the IL on the morphology of the composite. Photodegradation of MB under visible light irradiation experiments were used as probe reactions to evaluate the photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared samples. All the nanocomposites show better catalytic activity than Cu₂S and MoS₂ monomers. Among the different Cu₂S–MoS₂(x : y) nanocomposites, the Cu₂S–MoS₂(1 : 1) composite exhibits the most excellent photocatalytic performance and cycling stability.