A novel nano-heterojunction MoS2/α-Fe2O3 photocatalysts with high photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performance under visible light irradiation

Abstract

In this research successfully synthesized a novel heterojunction of MoS2 and α-Fe2O3 by hydrothermal method with special adjustments to the nanostructure for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance. The nano MoS2/α-Fe2O3 (nano MF) has an excellent surface area and great intrinsic edges, which can produce more active reaction sites. The advantage of this nanocomposite has certified by spectroscopic and characterizations approach. The results presented that for methylene blue (MB), nano MF photocatalysts revealed rather improved photocatalytic capability (∼98.5%) and the optimal transient photocurrent density (∼0.45 μA/cm2) with visible-light irradiation. These two analyses were three and nine folds larger than those displayed by the Fe2O3 sample, respectively. The photocatalytic degradation performance of nano-heterojunction photocatalysts improved due to increase reactive sites of the photocatalyst and reduced recombination of photo-induced carriers. The results reveal that the formation of a strong heterojunction between two semiconductors leads to the formation of the active photocatalyst. In this system, the generated superoxide radicals, holes and hydroxyl radicals with potential oxidation were operated to obtain superior efficient photodegradation of organic dyes. The fabricated nano MF samples indicated good stability, high reusability and wide utilization potential in photocatalytic and PEC processes. The present work has demonstrated the promising potential of nanocomposites for efficient photoelectrochemical and environmental remediation.