Growing one-dimensional Cd0.9Zn0.1S nanorods on two-dimensional Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets for superior photocatalytic hydrogen production performance

Abstract

Ti3C2 MXene as a high electrical conductivity with a large surface area, is widely used as a co-catalyst. In this work, 1D Cd0.9Zn0.1S nanorods (NRs) are grown on the surface of 2D Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets (NSs) to construct 1D/2D Cd0.9Zn0.1S/Ti3C2 nanocomposites, which reduce the stacking of Ti3C2 MXene and increase the layer spacing. Cd0.9Zn0.1S/Ti3C2 nanocomposite with 5 wt% Ti3C2 MXene adding amount achieves the hydrogen production rate of 4.50 mmol·h−1·g−1, which is 1.7 times than that of pure Cd0.9Zn0.1S (2.65 mmol·h−1·g−1). The remarkable enhancement of its photocatalytic activity is mostly attributed to three factors. Firstly, the electron-hole separation and charge transfer on the heterojunction between 1D Cd0.9Zn0.1S NRs and Ti3C2 MXene. Secondly, the 1D Cd0.9Zn0.1S nanorod structure can shorten the carrier transfer distance. Thirdly, the good electrical conductivity and large surface area of Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets are advantageous to the separation and transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and increase the reaction sites.