Heterostructuring noble-metal-free 1T' phase MoS2 with g-C3N4 hollow nanocages to improve the photocatalytic H2 evolution activity

In this work, we report the preparation of 1T'-MoS2/g-C3N4 nanocage (NC) heterostructure by loading 2D semi-metal noble-metal-free 1T'-MoS2 on the g-C3N4 nanocages (NCs). DFT calculation and experimental data have shown that the 1T'-MoS2/g-C3N4 NC heterostructure has a stronger light absorption capacity and larger specific surface area than pure g-C3N4 NCs and g-C3N4 nanosheets (NSs), and the presence of the co-catalysts 1T'-MoS2 can effectively inhibit the photoinduced carrier recombination. As a result, the 1T'-MoS2/g-C3N4 NC heterostructure with an optimum 1T'-MoS2 loading of 9 wt% displays a hydrogen evolution rate of 1949 μmol·h−1·g−1, 162.4, 1.2, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.2 times than pure g-C3N4 NCs (12 μmol·h−1·g−1), Pt/g-C3N4 NCs (1615 μmol·h−1·g−1) and Pt/g-C3N4 nanosheets (NSs, 1297 μmol·h−1·g−1), 1T'-MoS2/g-C3N4 nanosheets (1216 μmol·h−1·g−1) and 2H-MoS2/g-C3N4 nanocages (1573 μmol·h−1·g−1), respectively, and exhibits excellent cycle stability. Therefore, 1T'-MoS2/g-C3N4 NC heterostructure is a suitable photocatalyst for green H2 production.