MoS2/reduced graphene oxide hybrid with CdS nanoparticles as a visible light-driven photocatalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Photocatalytic reduction of nitroaromatic compounds to aromatic amines using visible light is an attractive process that utilizes sunlight as the energy source for the chemical conversions. Herewith we synthesized a composite material consisting of CdS nanoparticles grown on the surface of MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid as a novel photocatalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The CdS-MoS2/rGO composite is shown as a high-performance visible light-driven photocatalyst. Even without a noble-metal cocatalyst, the catalyst exhibited a great activity under visible light irradiation for the reduction of 4-NP to much less toxic 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with ammonium formate as the sacrificial agent. Composite CdS-0.03(MoS2/0.01rGO) was found to be the most effective photocatalyst for 4-NP reduction. The high photocatalytic performance is apparently resulted from the synergetic functions of MoS2 and graphene in the composite, i.e. the cocatalysts serve as both the active adsorption sites for 4-NP and electron collectors for the separation of electron-hole pairs generated by CdS nanoparticles. The laboratory results show that the CdS-MoS2/rGO composite is a low-cost and stable photocatalyst for effective reduction and detoxification of nitroaromatic compounds using solar energy.