MoS2-hybridized TiO2 nanosheets with exposed {001} facets to enhance the visible-light photocatalytic activity

• MoS2-hybridized TiO2 nanosheets with exposed {001} facets have been synthesized.
• The MoS2/TiO2{001} composites show superior visible-light photocatalytic activity.
• The enhanced activity is due to intimate interfacial contacts and matched energy bands.
• Our findings can offer useful insights for development of efficient photocatalysts.

In this study, we reported on our attempt to synthesize few-layer MoS2-hybridized TiO2 nanosheets with exposed {001} facets via a two-step hydrothermal method. The results demonstrated that MoS2 has been successfully loaded on the surface of TiO2{001} nanosheets. The as-prepared MoS2/TiO2{001} hybrid composites showed better photocatalytic activity in the degradation of RhB under visible-light irradiation than pure MoS2 and TiO2{001} nanosheets. Such a remarkable enhancement of photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the improved separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, which originated from the intimate interfacial contacts as well as the suitably matching conduction and valence band levels between MoS2 and TiO2{001} nanosheets.