Unravelling charge carrier dynamics for enhancement of photocatalytic performance in Pd/MoS2 nanocomposites for water remediation of real-world pollutants

In this study, Pd/MoS₂ nanocomposites were successfully synthesized incorporating Pd nanoparticles into three-dimensional (3D) flower-like MoS₂ nanostructures. The controlled introduction of Pd was aimed to optimize the photocatalytic performance of the resulting nanocomposites, which exhibited exceptional efficiency in degrading various organic pollutants and antibiotic tetracycline (TC) under simulated solar light irradiation. The nanocomposites with an optimized Pd concentration of 2.5 % demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic efficiency, achieving the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), Methylene blue (MB), TC by 98 %, 98 %, and 96 %, respectively, with specific interval of 40, 30 and 60 min. The reaction rate constant of the Pd/MoS₂ nanocomposites was measured to be 0.7798 min⁻¹ using pseudo first-order rate kinetics. The value is about 19 times higher than that of pure MoS₂ (0.00414 min⁻¹) for degradation of RhB. The improved photocatalytic performance of these nanocomposites can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the incorporation of Pd nanoparticles substantially enhanced their light absorption capabilities, leading to an overall increase in photocatalytic efficiency. Moreover, the presence of Pd contributed to a large surface area, further enhancing the nanocomposite's photocatalytic potential. Importantly, the formation of a built-in electric field at Pd/MoS₂ interface facilitated the efficient separation of the electron-hole pairs, extending the life time of these photoinduced charge carriers. This study offers valuable insights into development of MoS₂-based photocatalyst, which hold significant promise for addressing water pollution challenges and making substantial contributions to the field of water purification and environmental remediation.