Optimization of the NH2-UiO-66@MoS2 heterostructure for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance

Abstract

The application of photocatalysts for hydrogen production is limited by their low separation efficiency and poor utilization of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. To circumvent such disadvantages, the heterojunctions have been produced to improve the separation of charges and increase the activity of photocatalysts. To date, only a few studies have been conducted to investigate the interaction between the type of heterojunction interface and the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of composites. Herein, the performance of an NH₂-UiO-66@MoS₂ composite as a photocatalyst for hydrogen production is evaluated. Moreover, NH₂-UiO-66@MoS₂ heterostructures were prepared through chemical bonding (C-NUM) and physical connection (P-NUM). The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of NH₂-UiO-66@0.2MoS₂ (C-NUM-0.2) was 1.8 and 1.14 times greater than those of NH₂-UiO-66 and P-NUM, respectively. The heterojunction prepared through chemical bonding facilitated the separation of the photogenerated carriers and improved the photocatalytic stability of the composite, demonstrating its potential as a high-performance photocatalyst for hydrogen production.