Issue 20, 2025

Pt-free MoS2 co-catalyst enables record photocurrent density in Sb2Se3 photocathodes for highly efficient solar hydrogen production

Abstract

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) emerges as a potential light-absorbing material for thin film photovoltaics and photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting devices, due to its earth-abundant constituents and excellent photoelectric properties. However, losses caused by corrosion and sluggish charge transfer at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface require a co-catalyst to enhance these kinetic factors. In this study, MoS2 is employed as a cost-effective, noble-metal-free catalyst to enhance the photocurrent density (Jph), half-cell solar-to-hydrogen (HC-STH) conversion efficiency and stability of Sb2Se3-based photocathodes. Optimized thermodynamic/kinetic physical vapor deposition of MoS2 substantially improves PEC performance, resulting champion Mo/Sb2Se3/CdS/MoS2 photocathode that achieves a record Jph of 31.03 mA cm−2 at 0 VRHE and the highest HC-STH efficiency of 3.08%, along with stability for over 5 hours in an acidic (pH 1) buffer solution. It is systematically revealed that MoS2 reduces the photo-corrosion effect, decreases electron–hole recombination, and provides a significant increase in charge transfer efficiency at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface. This work highlights the potential of cost-effective, high-performance Sb2Se3-based photocathodes in advancing efficient PEC devices for solar hydrogen production.

Graphical abstract: Pt-free MoS2 co-catalyst enables record photocurrent density in Sb2Se3 photocathodes for highly efficient solar hydrogen production

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Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
02 Mar 2025
Accepted
14 Apr 2025
First published
16 Apr 2025
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2025,16, 8946-8958

Pt-free MoS2 co-catalyst enables record photocurrent density in Sb2Se3 photocathodes for highly efficient solar hydrogen production

M. Ahmad, A. Gul, H. S. Aziz, T. Imran, M. Ishaq, M. Abbas, Z. Su and S. Chen, Chem. Sci., 2025, 16, 8946 DOI: 10.1039/D5SC01663K

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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