Synergetic effect of cobalt phosphide cocatalyst modified molybdenum disulfide for boosting photocatalytic performance

Abstract

BackgroundMolybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has received extensive attention in environmental remediation due to its unique two-dimensional lamellar structure and high specific area. To further improve the photocatalytic performance of MoS2, supported co-catalysts have been proven to be one of the effective modification measures. MethodsThe composite photocatalyst CoP/MoS2 was prepared by a facile self-assembly method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the successful loading of CoP onto the MoS2 surface. The UV-vis results showed that the MoS2 modified by CoP had enhanced absorption capacity for visible light. The photoelectric performance test showed that the synergistic effect of CoP and MoS2 promoted the charge transfer between them and reduced the charge recombination rate. Significant findingsThe CoP/MoS2 composite photocatalyst exhibits a high degradation rate under visible light irradiation. The degradation rate of MBT can reach 97.2% within 80 min, which is 1.6 times that of the original MoS2 photocatalyst. This is mainly due to the efficient charge separation and synergistic effect of CoP and MoS2. The possible decomposition intermediates, photocatalytic pathways and mechanisms are also proposed. This work provides a valuable strategy for developing other semiconductors as co-catalysts to modify MoS2 for efficient photocatalytic applications.