Preparation of a TiO2-MoS2 nanoparticle-based composite by solvothermal method with enhanced photoactivity for the degradation of organic molecules in water under UV light

The MoS₂ nanocrystals coupled with anatase nanoparticles were prepared by the solvothermal method at relatively low temperatures. It was determined that the materials consisted of 15-20-nm diameter anatase nanoparticles with highly dispersed MoS₂ nanocrystals of approximately 3-7-nm in size. Visible light absorption in the MoS₂-TiO₂ samples increased with the MoS₂ content. However, their lambda edges (λ_edge) remained almost identical at approximately 390 nm, meaning that MoS₂ did not cause a red shift in the anatase bandgap energy. The hybrid MoS₂-anatase materials had higher surface area (70-124-m² g^-1) than commercial TiO₂ (P25) (50 m² g^-1). The MoS₂-anatase hybrid nanocrystals showed enhanced activity in the oxidation of methylene blue in water under UV light irradiation. A photomechanism able to elucidate the observed dye decolourisation was suggested.