Integrating MoS2 with S,P,N-codoped carbon nanofibers for efficient adsorption-photocatalytic degradation of dye

Developing highly recyclable photocatalysts is crucial for the industrial application of solar-light driven wastewater treatment. Hence, S,N,P-codoped carbon (SNP–C) nanofibers are modified with MoS2 (MoS2/SNP-C) via the electrospinning and nonthermal plasma-sulfurized approaches for enhancing the adsorption and photocatalytic efficiency. The adsorption and photocatalytic capacities of MoS2/SNP-C composites for visible-light induced RhB removal are greatly affected by the mass ratio of Mo/P and sulfurized time. Langmuir and second-order models well fit with the adsorption isotherms and kinetics of these composites, respectively. 4-MoS2/SNP-C with the nominal Mo/P mass ratio of 12:1 and the sulfurized time of 30 min presents the best adsorption-photocatalytic activity, and its adsorption capacity and removal efficiency of RhB are 728.80 mg g−1 and 99.79%, respectively. The in-situ plasma induced sulfurization is likely to generate the sufficient vacant sites of RhB adsorption and the tight interface between MoS2 and SNP-C for the rapid transfer of charge carriers.