2D/2D Interface Engineering Promotes Charge Separation of Mo₂C/g-C₃N₄ Nanojunction Photocatalysts for Efficient...

The focus of designing and synthesizing composite catalysts with high photocatalytic efficiency is the regulation of nanostructures and optimization of heterojunctions. By increasing the contact area between the catalysts, additional reaction sites can be established and charge carriers can be transferred and reacted faster. Here, two-dimensional (2D) Mo₂C is prepared via a novel approach by carbonizing precursors intercalated by low-boiling solvents, and a composite catalyst Mo₂C/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) with 2D to 2D structure optimization was synthesized through the self-assembly of 2D Mo₂C and 2D g-C₃N₄. The hydrogen production rate of the photocatalyst at the optimal ratio is 675.27 μmol g^-1 h^-1, which further exceeds 2D g-C₃N₄. It is 5.1 times that of the 7 wt % B/2D Mo₂C/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst and also 3.5 times that of 0.5 wt % Pt/g-C₃N₄. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the fact that Mo₂C as a cocatalyst can rapidly transfer the photogenerated electrons of g-C₃N₄ to the surface of Mo₂C, and the 2D to 2D structure can provide abundant reaction sites for photogenerated electrons to prevent their recombination with holes. This study provides new ideas and techniques for the development of 2D platinum-like cocatalysts and the optimization of nanojunctions.