Journal Article

In Situ Assembly of Well-Defined MoSsub.2 Slabs on Shape-Tailored Anatase TiOsub.2 Nanostructures: Heterojunctions Role in Phenol Photodegradation

Damin, Alessandro, Pellegrino, Francesco, Negro, Paolo, Cesano, Federico, Santalucia, Rosangela, Scarano, Domenica, Vacca, Tiziano

2022

Overview

MoS[sub.2]/TiO[sub.2]-based nanostructures have attracted extensive attention due to their high performance in many fields, including photocatalysis. In this contribution, MoS[sub.2] nanostructures were prepared via an in situ bottom-up approach at the surface of shape-controlled TiO[sub.2] nanoparticles (TiO[sub.2] nanosheets and bipyramids). Furthermore, a multi-technique approach by combining electron microscopy and spectroscopic methods was employed. More in detail, the morphology/structure and vibrational/optical properties of MoS[sub.2] slabs on TiO[sub.2] anatase bipyramidal nanoparticles, mainly exposing 101 facets, and on TiO[sub.2] anatase nanosheets exposing both 001 and 101 facets, still covered by MoS[sub.2], were compared. It was shown that unlike other widely used methods, the bottom-up approach enabled the atomic-level growth of well-defined MoS[sub.2] slabs on TiO[sub.2] nanostructures, thus aiming to achieve the most effective chemical interactions. In this regard, two kinds of synergistic heterojunctions, namely, crystal face heterojunctions between anatase TiO[sub.2] coexposed 101 and 001 facets and semiconductor heterojunctions between MoS[sub.2] and anatase TiO[sub.2] nanostructures, were considered to play a role in enhancing the photocatalytic activity, together with a proper ratio of (101), (001) coexposed surfaces.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Phenols