Open Access

ARTICLE

Preparation and characterization of ZnO@MoS₂ nanocomposites: investigating photoelectrical, electrocatalytic, and electrochemical behaviors

J. M. Shi^*, H. F. Zhang, H. C. Wang

Basic Department, Yellow River Conservancy Technical Institute, KaiFeng, 475004 China

* Corresponding Author:

Chalcogenide Letters 2024, 21(3), 263-274. https://doi.org/10.15251/CL.2024.213.263

Received 15 December 2023; Accepted 13 March 2024;

Abstract

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of 3D ZnO@MoS₂ nanocomposites, demonstrating their superior performance in photoelectrochemical applications. Employing a combination of hydrothermal and solvothermal methods, the research focuses on creating heterostructures with optimized interfacial characteristics. The ZnO@MoS₂ composites show a substantial increase in photocurrent density (1.02 mA/cm^²), compared to ZnO nanorods (0.32 mA/cm^²), underlining enhanced charge separation efficiency. In electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, the heterostructures exhibit a lower onset potential (-175 mV vs RHE) and reduced Tafel slope (51 mV/dec), indicating improved catalytic activity over MoS₂ nanosheets. Additionally, the composites demonstrate a significant increase in electrochemical capacitance (398 F/g at 10 mV/s), suggesting potential applications in energy storage. These results highlight the efficacy of ZnO@MoS₂ nanocomposites in enhancing solar energy conversion and storage, providing insights into the development of next-generation semiconductor materials.

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Keywords

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