Unravelling the Synergy between Phase Engineering and Interface Regulation in TiO2/1T-Rich MoSe2 Heterostructures for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Phase engineering and interface regulation are effective tactics to improve photocatalytic performance. Combining these two effects in one photocatalytic heterostructure is challenging but has yet to be achieved. In this paper, a 0D/2D photocatalytic heterostructure targeting efficient visible-light-driven H2 generation was constructed via a facile in situ hydrothermal approach, where 2D MoSe2 nanosheets with rich 1T-phase were tightly grown on the surface of 0D TiO2 nanoparticles. The synergy of the maximized cocatalytic effect of 1T-rich MoSe2 via phase engineering and the optimized contact interface with suitable interfacial barrier between the 1T-rich MoSe2 and TiO2 can accelerate the charge carrier separation to promote photocatalysis efficiency. Consequently, the H2 yield from pure water of the optimal TiO2/1T-rich MoSe2 hybrid was 17.0 mmol g–1, which was 77.6- and 20.0-times higher than that of pure TiO2 or a physical mixture of TiO2 and 1T-rich MoSe2, respectively. The H2 yield from seawater of the optimal TiO2/1T-rich MoSe2 also can reach 1.05 mmol g–1 h–1. This study proclaims the considerable synergistic effect of phase engineering and interface regulation in a photocatalytic system and provides a valuable thread for the construction of an efficient photocatalysts.