J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2021, Vol. 62: 119-127.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2020.05.068

• Research Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Promoting the charge separation and photoelectrocatalytic water reduction kinetics of Cu2O nanowires via decorating dual-cocatalysts

Mengmeng Zhanga, Jiajun Wanga, Yang Wanga, Jinfeng Zhanga, Xiaopeng Hana, Yanan Chena, Yuesheng Wangb, Zaghib Karimb, Wenbin Hua,c, Yida Denga,*()   

  1. aSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
    bCenter of Excellence in Transformation Electri?cation and Energy Storage, Hydro-Québec, 1806 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Québec, J3X 1S1, Canada
    cJoint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Binhai New City, Fuzhou, 350207, China
  • Received:2020-04-22 Revised:2020-05-12 Accepted:2020-05-15 Published:2021-01-30 Online:2021-02-01
  • Contact: Yida Deng
  • About author:* E-mail address: yida.deng@tju.edu.cn (Y. Deng).

Abstract:

Developing high activity and low-cost materials to produce hydrogen by the sustainable way of photoelectrochemical is key to social development. The abundance and inexpensive Cu2O has been received increasing research as its suitable energy level for photocatalytic water reduction. However, the fast charge recombination rate and the sluggish catalytic kinetics are the huge challenges facing the Cu2O photoreduction. Here, the highly reactive Cu2O@C-MoS2 photocathode is constructed by depositing dual-cocatalysts of the carbon layer and MoS2 nanosheets on Cu2O nanowires to realize efficient water reduction. An impressive carrier concentration of 6.59 × 1023 cm-3 is received, which is 2.78 times of the bare Cu2O, resulting in remarkable enhancement in photocurrent density of 3.34 times for the Cu2O@C-MoS2 photocathode. Moreover, the applied bias photon-to-current conversion efficiency of the bare Cu2O enhanced 4.5 times from 0.16 % to 0.72 % in the Cu2O@C-MoS2 photocathode. The analysis shows that the Cu2O as light absorber, the carbon layer as electron transfer promoter, and MoS2 nanosheets as catalytic sites, thus facilitating chrage separation and enhancing catalytic kinetics. This system paves a feasible strategy for designing other photoelectrodes to realize efficient charge separation and high catalytic activity.

Key words: Photoelectrochemical water reduction, Cu2O nanowires, Dual-cocatalysts modification, Photocathode, Charge separation