Advances and challenges in MoS2-based photocatalyst for hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting

Hydrogen energy production via water splitting by using solar energy and appropriate photocatalyst is considered as an excellent renewable energy technology over the past few decades to address the global energy crisis due to its zero emission and cost effectiveness. MoS₂, a family of TMDs, is one of the promising photocatalyst that gained much research attention for its low cost, earth-abundance, optoelectronic properties. Despite these fascinating properties, it suffers some drawbacks in photocatalytic hydrogen production activity such as, high charge carrier recombination and inert basal plane. In this review, we first identify the fundamental knowledge of the properties (optical, electronic, crystal structure) of MoS₂ and photocatalysis-with more emphasis on photocatalytic H₂ production which was found to be more feasible than other methods of hydrogen generation. Subsequently, various strategies to enhance the MoS₂ activity of hydrogen production like metal/non-metal doping, formation of heterojunctions and using sacrificial agents were reviewed. The photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of MoS₂ photocatalyst coupled with different cocatalysts and its various methods of preparation were also reviewed.