Bi2Te3–MoS2 Layered Nanoscale Heterostructures for Electron Transfer Catalysis

Bi 2 Te 3 –MoS 2 layered heterostructures have been prepared by a hydrothermal reaction of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate with hydrazine in the presence of preformed Bi 2 Te 3 hexagonal nanoplatelets as templates. The surface of hexagonal nanoplatelets of the topological insulator Bi 2 Te 3 is uniformly covered with layers of metallic 1T-MoS 2 . Bi 2 Te 3 –MoS 2 layered heterostructures exhibit high efficiency in the catalytic reduction of nitroarenes using NaBH 4 . The turnover frequencies (TOF) are 1.68, 1.78, 16.0, and 22.9 min –1 for 4-nitrophenol, 4-nitroaniline, nitrobenzene, and 4-chloronitrobenzene, respectively, when Bi 2 Te 3 –MoS 2 heterostructure with a mole ratio of 25:75 was used as the catalyst. This catalyst could be recycled and reused over several cycles of 4-nitrophenol reduction. The enhanced catalytic activity of Bi 2 Te 3 –MoS 2 layered heterostructures in comparison to pristine Bi 2 Te 3 hexagonal nanoplatelets and 1T-MoS 2 nanosheets suggests that the interfacial coupling between the topological insulator and metallic MoS 2 improves the efficiency of the catalyst. Bi 2 Te 3 with a stable supply of itinerant electrons for charge transfer for chemical reactions and high mobility electron channels coupled with catalytically active 1T-MoS 2 renders the Bi 2 Te 3 –MoS 2 layered heterostructure a promising catalyst for electron transfer reactions.