Flower-like 3D MoS2/Cu2O hybrids with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

Abstract

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is widely employed as a photoanode in photoelectrochemical (PEC) tests due to its energy gap in the visible region and strong interaction with light. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) flower-like MoS2 heterostructures have been introduced by the CVD method and decorated with copper (I) oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles synthesized by electrodeposition. SEM, XRD, Raman, UV-Visible, current-potential and EIS analyses have been performed to evaluate the heterostructure. The results show that the MoS2/Cu2O heterostructure is not only well-formed but associated with a 61% increase in photocurrent density compared to MoS2. This is due to the smaller charge transfer resistance and effective charge separation in the heterostructure compared to MoS2, based on the EIS analysis and corresponding band energy diagram. A cyclic test of the electrode also shows its excellent stability, making it suitable for practical applications.