Solar-Powered Hydrogen Production Enabled by a Robust and Efficient MoS₂/Ti₃C₂ Heterojunction Catalyst

The development of highly efficient and economically viable solar-driven catalysts for hydrogen (H₂) production is of paramount importance in the pursuit of sustainable and clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Among the materials explored for this purpose, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and two-dimensional (2D) materials have gained significant attention due to their unique structural, electronic, and surface properties, which make them promising candidates for photocatalytic applications. In particular, MXenes such as Ti₃C₂ stand out for their metallic conductivity, high surface area, hydrophilicity, and versatile functionalization possibilities. In this study, a series of MoS₂/Ti₃C₂ (X) heterostructured nanocomposites (where X = 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 wt.%) were successfully synthesized via a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The synthesized materials were thoroughly characterized using state-of-the-art analytical and spectroscopic techniques to investigate their composition, morphology, crystallinity, and optical features. Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution tests were performed in a methanol–water sacrificial solution under visible-light irradiation to evaluate their activity. Among all samples, the MoS₂/Ti₃C₂ 5% composite demonstrated the highest hydrogen evolution rate, outperforming pure Ti₃C₂, pure MoS₂, and the other composites in the series. The superior photocatalytic performance of the MoS₂/Ti₃C₂ 5% heterojunction is attributed to the synergistic interaction between the MoS₂ nanosheets and Ti₃C₂ MXene layers, which facilitates more efficient interfacial charge transfer. The formation of a well-matched heterojunction promotes rapid electron migration while suppressing recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic activity. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and photoluminescence (PL) analyses further support this conclusion by revealing improved charge separation efficiency and lower recombination rates in the optimized composite. Overall, this work provides compelling evidence that 2D MoS₂/Ti₃C₂ hybrid structures serve as high-performance, durable, and cost-effective photocatalysts for solar-driven hydrogen production. The results not only highlight the potential of MXene-based heterostructures in renewable energy applications but also offer valuable design insights for developing next-generation hybrid photocatalysts for efficient solar energy conversion.