In situ ion exchange synthesis of MoS2/g-C3N4 heterojunctions for highly efficient hydrogen production

Abstract

Novel and advanced photocatalytic materials for water splitting are of huge interest due to the increasing global energy crisis. In this work, MoS₂/g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions are prepared as high-performance photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution using solar energy. Benefiting from the elaborate ion exchange, uniformly dispersed MoS₂ quantum dots with controllable size and a high loading amount grow in situ on the surface of g-C₃N₄ nanosheets through a simple hydrothermal process, and tight heterostructures are obtained at the interface between the two semiconductors. The quantization of MoS₂ enhances its redox activity in water splitting, and the compact heterojunction facilitates the separation of photoinduced charge carriers, resulting in efficient photocatalytic H₂ production at the MoS₂/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction. This work highlights ion exchange as a facile and effective method for obtaining high efficiency MoS₂/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction photocatalysts.