Solar-light induced photoreduction of CO2 using nonthermal plasma sulfurized MoO3@MoS2-CuS composites

To enhance the solar-light photocatalytic efficiency of MoO3 for conversion of CO2 into CH4 and CO, CuS and MoS2 co-modified h-MoO3 (MoO3@MoS2-CuS) composites were sulfurized by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma. The photocatalytic activities of MoO3@MoS2 and MoO3@MoS2-CuS for solar-light driven CO2 photoreduction were better than that of h-MoO3, while MoO3@MoS2-CuS presented the enhancing CH4 yield and the declining CO yield. It’s ascribed to the improved visible light response and the efficient charge transfer and separation. In addition, CO2 and H2O molecules were trapped and photo-reduced at the naked edge-rich sites of junction interface between MoO3, MoS2, and CuS. The optimal MoO3@MoS2-CuS-3 with the CuS content of 2.27 wt% presented the CH4 yield of 44.64 μmol g−1 h−1 and CO yield of 7.59 μmol g−1 h−1, and its durability was slightly declined after three cycles.