Enhanced solar light-driven photocatalytic degradation of pollutants and hydrogen evolution over exfoliated hexagonal WS2 platelets. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Koyyada, Ganesh; Prabhakar Vattikuti, S.V.; Shome, Sanchari; Shim, Jaesool; Chitturi, Veerendra; Jung, Jae Hak
• Is Part Of: Materials research bulletin. Volume 109(2019)
• Page Start: 246
• Page End: 254
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: WS2 -- Photocatalyst -- Exfoliation -- Hydrogen production -- Pollutants; Materials -- Periodicals; Crystal growth -- Periodicals; Matériaux -- Périodiques; Cristaux -- Croissance -- Périodiques; Crystal growth; Materials; Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2018.09.045
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-5408

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: WS2 was successfully exfoliated using DMF. Exfoliated procedure may allow for other 2D materials. The e-h-WS2 catalyst showed a 1.71-times higher H2 production rate than bulk ones. The H2 evolution mechanism of the e-h-WS2 catalyst has been elucidated and discussed. Photocurrent and EIS results demonstrate the efficient electron and hole pathways. Abstract: Two-dimensional (2D) layered structure transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has been attracted huge attention and importance for photocatalytic energy conversion due to their unique properties. In this paper, exfoliated hexagonal WS2 (e-h-WS2 ) platelets were successfully synthesized by liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) process from hexagonal WS2 (h-WS2 ) platelets in DMF solvent. The photocatalytic activity of e-h-WS2 and h-WS2 catalysts were compared systematically for degradation of various organic dye such as Congo red (CR), Methyl orange (MO), Phenol red (PR) and Rhodamine B (RhB)) pollutants and hydrogen production under simulated solar light irradiation. UV-vis and N2 absorption-desorption studies revealed that e-h-WS2 have shown narrow band gap and higher specific surface area than that of h-WS2 . Enhanced photocatalytic activity was obtained for e-h-WS2 than h-WS2 i.e. 1.71 fold enhancement for hydrogen production rate. More importantly, this synthetic exfoliated procedure may open up an opportunity to synthesize other transition metal sulfides.