Efficient charge separation promoting visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of MnOx decorated WS2 hybrid nanosheets

Tungsten disulfide (WS 2 ) has recently emerged as a narrow-band visible-light-driven photocatalyst; however, high recombination of photo-induced electrons and holes becomes a major concern to advance its photocatalytic performance. Here we for the first time adopt manganese oxide (MnO x ) as a hole-trapping material to decorate WS 2 nanosheets by photo-deposition in MnSO 4 solution. The MnO x decorated WS 2 (MnO x /WS 2 ) is found to exhibit more negative flat band potential, lower impedance and higher photocurrent response compared with pure WS 2 . These features beneficial to charge transfer and separation render the MnO x /WS 2 nanosheets highly active and visible-light-driven photocatalyst in RhB degradation. Further, the hole-trapping function of MnO x in promoting efficient charge separation of MnO x /WS 2 is experimentally demonstrated.