In situ growth of flower-like CdS/Mo2TiC2 Schottky heterojunction for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

CdS photocatalysis is limited by rapid charge recombination and photocorrosion. Here, a Mo 2 TiC 2 MXene/CdS Schottky heterojunction is fabricated via in situ growth of flower-like CdS nanoflowers on MXene nanosheets. The intimate interface and high work function of Mo 2 TiC 2 establish a Schottky barrier that enforces unidirectional electron transfer from CdS to MXene, as supported by in situ XPS under illumination. This suppresses both carrier recombination and hole accumulation, which is expected to mitigate photocorrosion, as supported by the observed stability of the composite during cycling tests. The optimal composite achieves a visible-light hydrogen evolution rate of 9.42 mmol/g/h, 18.5-fold higher than pristine CdS, with consistent activity over four consecutive cycles. This work demonstrates that in situ construction of CdS/Mo 2 TiC 2 Schottky junctions offers a viable route to efficient and durable solar hydrogen production with short-term recyclability.