Issue 35, 2016

2D WS2/carbon dot hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanoflakes were synthesised and hybridised with carbon dots (CDs) using a facile two-step method of exfoliation of bulk tungsten disulphide followed by microwave irradiation of nanoflakes in a solution of citric acid. Physicochemical characterisation indicated that the hybrid consists of graphitic carbon dots with diameters of approximately 2–5 nm, attached to monolayer tungsten disulphide via electrostatic attraction forces. This synthesised hybrid material was investigated for photocatalytic applications. We found that within one hour approximately 30% more of the model organic dye was photodegraded by the hybrid material compared with the pristine 2D WS2. This enhancement was associated to the affinity of the CDs to the organic dye rather than heterojunctioning. Comparisons of the photocatalytic efficacy of this hybrid material with those of recently reported 2D transition metal dichalcogenides and their hybrids showed a significantly higher turnover frequency. Additionally, the presented microwave based synthesis method for developing hybrids of 2D WS2 and CDs, without making significant changes to the base 2D crystal structure and its surface chemistry, has not been demonstrated before. Altogether, the hybrid 2D material provides great potential for photocatalysis applications.

Graphical abstract: 2D WS2/carbon dot hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
28 Jul 2016
Accepted
12 Aug 2016
First published
12 Aug 2016

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016,4, 13563-13571

2D WS2/carbon dot hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic activity

P. Atkin, T. Daeneke, Y. Wang, B. J. Carey, K. J. Berean, R. M. Clark, J. Z. Ou, A. Trinchi, I. S. Cole and K. Kalantar-zadeh, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016, 4, 13563 DOI: 10.1039/C6TA06415A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements