Metallic rhombohedral NbS2/2D g-C3N4 composite with enhanced photogenerated carriers separation and photocatalytic performance

Highlights: • Metallic 3R NbS₂/2D g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst has been successfully synthesized. • Metallic 3R NbS₂ can replace the noble metal as a photoelectron acceptor. • Metallic 3R NbS₂/2D g-C₃N₄ can restrain the recombination of photogenerated carriers. • 2D g-C₃N₄ is in favour of the transfer of the photogenerated electron. • Analyzed that the photocatalytic degradation mechanism of 3R NbS₂/2D g-C₃N₄. Developing photocatalysts with high efficient photoinduced carriers separation is a key challenge in the photocatalytic field. Herein, one kind metallic 3R NbS₂ modified 2D graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) photocatalyst was synthetized by a solvent thermal synthesis process. The morphology, structure, photoelectric property and the structure–activity relationship between the components of the composite were investigated and analyzed systematically. It is proven that the good conductivity of metallic 3R NbS₂ facilitates the migration and transfer of electrons through the constructed NbS₂/2D g-C₃N₄ interface, and controls the recombination of photoinduced carriers. The 5% NbS₂/2D g-C₃N₄ possesses the optimal photocatalytic degradation activity of rhodamine B (RhB) (the degradation rate of 87% in 75 min). The introduction of NbS₂ can effectively enhance the photocatalytic degradation activity.