Improving Photocatalytic Performance from Bi₂WO₆@MoS₂/graphene Hybrids via Gradual Charge Transferred Pathway

The charge transfer from the main catalyst to the cocatalyst is a key factor to enhance catalytic activity for photocatalytic nanocomposite materials. In order to enhance the charge transfer between Bi₂WO₆ and graphene, we inlet MoS₂ as a "stepping-stone" into Bi₂WO₆ and graphene. Here, we report an effective strategy to synthesize ternary Bi₂WO₆@MoS₂/graphene nanocomposite photocatalyst by a facile two-step hydrothermal method, which is afforded by assembling two cocatalysts, graphene and MoS₂, into the Bi₂WO₆ matrix with a nanoparticle morphology as a visible light harvester. Compared with Bi₂WO₆/graphene, Bi₂WO₆/MoS₂ and pure Bi₂WO₆, the Bi₂WO₆@MoS₂/graphene ternary composites exhibit superior photocatalytic activity owing to an enhanced charge carrier separation via gradual charge transferred pathway. This work indicates a promising cocatalyst strategy for designing a more efficient graphene based semiconductor photocatalyst toward degradation of organic pollutants.