Understanding the relative efficacies and versatile roles of 2D conductive nanosheets in hybrid-type photocatalyst

Hybridization with conductive 2D nanosheets (NSs) attracts plenty of research activities because of its effectiveness for improving the photocatalyst performance of diverse semiconductors. Here, versatile roles of conductive NSs in hybrid-type photocatalysts are systematically investigated with three representative conductive 2D NSs to synthesize highly efficient visible light-active photocatalysts. Among several conductive NS-based nanohybrids, the RuO₂ NS-based nanohybrid exhibits the highest photocatalytic activities. Based on systematic spectroscopic analyses, polar RuO₂ NS appears to be more effective as electron reservoir, photosensitizer, cocatalyst and charge carrier pathway in hybrid-type photocatalyst than MoS₂ and graphene NSs. The high efficiency of RuO₂ NS as hybridization matrix is attributable to the high surface hydrophilicity, high surface bond polarity, and enhanced interfacial electronic coupling of this hydrophilic NS with semiconductor. The present study underscores that hydrophilic conductive metal oxide NS can act as the most efficient hybridization matrix for exploring high-performance photocatalysts with strong interfacial electronic coupling.