Solar-driven hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) through photocatalytic water splitting is regarded as a promising approach for sustainable clean fuel production. The combination of two-dimensional MoS2 HER catalysts with light absorbers enables the reaction. However, catalyst systems have so far lacked a covalent linkage between the dye and the MoS2 catalyst, inhibiting the light-driven HER.
Aidan R. McDonald, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, and colleagues have developed a photosensitizer-functionalized 2D-MoS2. The team covalently tethered the molecular photosensitizer [RuII(bpy)3]2+ (bpy = bipyridine) onto metallic-phase molybdenum disulfide (1T-MoS2) nanosheets. This was achieved by an on-surface synthesis of the photosensitizer. Photoelectrochemical measurements of [RuII(bpy)3]-MoS2 showed a significant improvement in photocurrent generation and HER performance.
According to the researchers, this synthetic strategy could be used for the modification of other 2D transition metal dichalcogenides towards customizable and highly efficient HER photocatalysts.
- RuII Photosensitizer-Functionalized Two-Dimensional MoS2 for Light-Driven Hydrogen Evolution,
Xin Chen, David McAteer, Cormac McGuinness, Ian Godwin, Jonathan N. Coleman, Aidan R. McDonald,
Chem. Eur. J. 2018, 24, 351–355.
https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201705203
