Flower-like 3D MoS2/Cu2O hybrids with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) is widely employed as a photoanode in photoelectrochemical (PEC) tests due to its energy gap in the visible region and strong interaction with light. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) flower-like MoS 2 heterostructures have been introduced by the CVD method and decorated with copper (I) oxide (Cu 2 O) nanoparticles synthesized by electrodeposition. SEM, XRD, Raman, UV-Visible, current-potential and EIS analyses have been performed to evaluate the heterostructure. The results show that the MoS 2 /Cu 2 O heterostructure is not only well-formed but associated with a 61% increase in photocurrent density compared to MoS 2 . This is due to the smaller charge transfer resistance and effective charge separation in the heterostructure compared to MoS 2 , based on the EIS analysis and corresponding band energy diagram. A cyclic test of the electrode also shows its excellent stability, making it suitable for practical applications.