Modulating photogenerated electron transfer with selectively exposed Co-Mo facets on a novel amorphous g-C3N4/CoxMo1-xS2 photocatalyst

Novel photocatalysts, g-C(3)N4(/)Co(x)Mo(1-x)S(2) with different exposed facets of Co-Mo, were employed as catalysts for the examination of facet-dependent catalytic activity toward photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splitting with Eosin Y photosensitized as an antenna molecule under visible Eight irradiation. The studies showed that the g-C3N4/CoxMo1-xS2 photocatalysts had higher activities than g-C3N4/MoS2 and g-C3N4/CoSx. The promoter Co atoms associated with Mo displayed synergistic effects and efficiently induced photo-generated charge carriers and electron transfer. A possible reaction mechanism for g-C3N4/CoxMo1-xS was corroborated using photo-luminescence spectra, photoelectro-chemical characterizations and electro-chemical impedance spectra studies. This study discloses the facet-dependent effect of metal-metal co-catalysts on semiconductor photo-catalysts in photo catalytic water reduction, and will give an insight into the design and synthesis of highly efficient metal/semiconductor hybrid photocatalysts.