Abstract:

S-scheme heterojunction is a major breakthrough in the field of photocatalysis. In this study, NiS₂ and MoSe₂ were prepared by a typical solvothermal method, and compounded by an in situ growth method to construct an S-scheme heterojunction. The obtained composite showed excellent performance in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution; the hydrogen production rate was approximately 7 mmol·h^-1·g^-1, which was 2.05 times and 2.44 times those of pure NiS₂ and MoSe₂, respectively. Through a series of characterizations, it was found that NiS₂ and MoSe₂ coupling can enhance the light absorption intensity, which is vital for the light reaction system. The efficiency of electron-hole pair separation is also among the important factors restricting photocatalytic reactions. Compared with pure NiS₂ and MoSe₂, NiS₂/MoSe₂ exhibited a higher photocurrent density, lower cathode current, and lower electrochemical impedance, which proves that the NiS₂/MoSe₂ complex can effectively promote photogenerated electron transfer. Simultaneously, the lower emission intensity of fluorescence indicated effective inhibition of electron-hole recombination in the NiS₂/MoSe₂ complex, which is favorable for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. Further, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that MoSe₂ is an amorphous sample surrounded by the NiS₂ nanomicrosphere, which greatly increased the contact area between the two, thus increasing the active site of the reaction. Secondly, as a photosensitizer, Eosin Y (EY) effectively enhanced the absorption of light by the catalyst in the photoreaction system. Meanwhile, during sensitization, electrons were provided to the catalyst, which effectively improved the photocatalytic reaction efficiency. The establishment of S-scheme heterojunctions contributed to improving the redox capacity of the reaction system and was the most important link in the photocatalytic hydrogen reduction of aquatic products. It was also the main reason for the improvement of the hydrogen evolution effect in this study. The locations of the conduction band and valence band of NiS₂ and MoSe₂ were determined by Mott-Schottky plots and photon energy curves, and further proved the establishment of the S-scheme heterojunction. This work provides a new reference for studying the S-scheme heterojunction to effectively improve the photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency.

Key words: NiS₂, MoSe₂, S-scheme heterojunction, Photocatalytic hydrogen evolutio