Unravelling the Synergy between Phase Engineering and Interface Regulation in TiO<sub>2</sub>/1T-Rich MoSe<sub>2</sub> Heterostructures for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Lijuan Sun, Huilong Dong, Jing Xu, Xin Liu, Hua Tang
Abstract
Phase engineering and interface regulation are effective tactics to improve photocatalytic performance. Combining these two effects in one photocatalytic heterostructure is challenging but has yet to be achieved. In this paper, a 0D/2D photocatalytic heterostructure targeting efficient visible-light-driven H 2 generation was constructed via a facile in situ hydrothermal approach, where 2D MoSe 2 nanosheets with rich 1T-phase were tightly grown on the surface of 0D TiO 2 nanoparticles. The synergy of the maximized cocatalytic effect of 1T-rich MoSe 2 via phase engineering and the optimized contact interface with suitable interfacial barrier between the 1T-rich MoSe 2 and TiO 2 can accelerate the charge carrier separation to promote photocatalysis efficiency. Consequently, the H 2 yield from pure water of the optimal TiO 2 /1T-rich MoSe 2 hybrid was 17.0 mmol g –1, which was 77.6- and 20.0-times higher than that of pure TiO 2 or a physical mixture of TiO 2 and 1T-rich MoSe 2, respectively. The H 2 yield from seawater of the optimal TiO 2 /1T-rich MoSe 2 also can reach 1.05 mmol g –1 h –1 . This study proclaims the considerable synergistic effect of phase engineering and interface regulation in a photocatalytic system and provides a valuable thread for the construction of an efficient photocatalysts.