Zero-Dimensional/Two-Dimensional Schottky Junction of Mn_0.5Cd_0.5S/Ti₃C₂ MXene Induces Rapid Electron Transfer and Enrichment for Boosting Photocatalytic H₂ Production Activity

Efficient charge separation and transfer in photocatalytic systems continuously enable better water splitting for clean H-2 evolution. Herein, a feasible in situ growth hydrothermal strategy by coupling an ultrathin Ti3C2 (TC) MXene nanosheet electron acceptor with a Mn0.5Cd0.5S (MCS) nanoparticle donor is introduced to construct a multifunctional donor-acceptor MCS/TC photocatalyst with a strong Schottky junction toward green and sustainable photocatalytic H(2 )production. The strong Schottky junction realizes a rapid carrier directional separation and transportation. The ultrathin TC nanosheets, as an electron acceptor to catalyze proton reduction, can promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and provide rich active sites for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Moreover, the optimal MCS/TC-10 (10 wt % TC) photocatalyst provides a highly stable photocatalytic H(2 )activity, up to 3730 mu mol h(-1) g(-1), which is 9 times higher than that of Mn0.5Cd0.5S solid solution. This work will inspire the development of design principles for accelerating charge transfer for efficient photocatalytic green H-2 production.