Atom elimination strategy for MoS2 nanosheets to enhance photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Abstract

The regulation of the basic properties of atom-economic catalysts at the atomic scale and atomic-level insights into the underlying mechanism of catalysis are less explored. We engineer the surface of vertical immobilized MoS2 on dispersible TiO2 nanofibers via atomic subtraction to precisely manipulate active sites at the atomic level. The photocatalytic performances of TiO2@MoS2 after H2 reduction towards the hydrogen production under visible light irradiation (>420 nm) are about 4 times that of TiO2@MoS2 before H2 reduction. Importantly, the enhanced stability of TiO2@MoS2 lasts for at least 30 h. Promising catalytic activity that is attributed to omnidirectional exposed active sites located defects, edges, corners that are transformed from the subtractive atomic sites could be exhumed comprehensively. This work will provide an intriguing and effective approach on tuning electronic structures for optimizing the catalytic activity at the atomic level by atom elimination strategy. To get rid of a few atomics on the surface of atomically-thin MoS2 nanosheet could be a prudent avenue for enabling the basal plane of MoS2 catalytically active.