Photoelectrochemical Water Separation and Dye Degradation Catalyzed by g-C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>/MoS<sub>2</sub> Nanosheets Doped with V<sup>2+</sup> Metal Ions Coated on TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanorods
P. Velusamy, Shanhu Liu, M. Sathiya, Awais Ahmad, E. Elangovan, Asma A. Alothman, M. S. Mushab, Fuchun Zhang, Xinghui Liu
Abstract
Photoelectrochemical (PEC) systems are inefficient, probably due to charge carrier mobility, recombination rate, and solar light absorption. Fabricating semiconductor-metal sulfide nanocomposites and nanostructured materials can improve the absorption of solar radiation, electron–hole separation, transport, and hydrogen (H 2 ) and oxygen generation to resolve the world’s energy dilemma. The vanadium-doped (V) layered graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN)/MoS 2 (MS) nanocomposite was synthesized employing two-step solvent evaporation and thermal condensation. This multilayer V-doped g-CN/MS nanocomposite broke down methyl red dye in 60 min under sunlight. Due to visible light absorption, the V-doped g-CN-MS nanostructure degrades the dye by 97.84%. We found that at 3.0 wt % V-doped g-CN/MS coated on TiO 2 nanorods. The catalyst nanocomposites displayed a high photocurrent density of 23.72 mA cm –2 and a H 2 production rate of 4477 mol h –1 cm –2 . Additionally, the microstructure, optical absorption behavior, and electrical conductivity were all shown to contribute to these impressive PEC characteristics. The V-modified g-CN/MS nanocomposite structures are effective and regulated PEC catalysts, and this study suggests ways to improve PEC water splitting and degradation.