Intermixing of MoS<sub>2</sub> and WS<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts toward methylene blue photodegradation
Maryam Al Qaydi, Nitul S. Rajput, M. Lejeune, Abdellatif Bouchalkha, M. El Marssi, Steevy Cordette, Chaouki Kasmi, Mustapha Jouiad
Abstract
Visible-light-driven photocatalysis using layered materials has garnered increasing attention regarding the degradation of organic dyes. Herein, transition-metal dichalcogenides MoS 2 and WS 2 prepared by chemical vapor deposition as well as their intermixing are evaluated for photodegradation (PD) of methylene blue under solar simulator irradiation. Our findings revealed that WS 2 exhibited the highest PD efficiency of 67.6% and achieved an impressive PD rate constant of 6.1 × 10 −3 min −1 . Conversely, MoS 2 displayed a somewhat lower PD performance of 43.5% but demonstrated remarkable stability. The intriguing result of this study relies on the synergetic effect observed when both MoS 2 and WS 2 are combined in a ratio of 20% of MoS 2 and 80% of WS 2 . This precise blend resulted in an optimized PD efficiency and exceptional stability reaching 97% upon several cycles. This finding underscores the advantageous outcomes of intermixing WS 2 and MoS 2 , shedding light on the development of an efficient and enduring photocatalyst for visible-light-driven photodegradation of methylene blue.