Simultaneous hydrogen production with photo reforming of lactic acid over MXene derived MoS₂/TiO₂/Ti₃C₂ nanowires

Developing efficient photocatalysts to address collaborative energy and environmental crises still faces significant challenges. In this report, we present a highly efficient MXene–based photocatalyst, which is combined with MoS₂ nano patches and TiO₂/Ti₃C₂ (TTC) nanowires through hydrothermal treatment. Of all the composites tested, the optimized photocatalyst gave a remarkable H₂ and revolving polylactic acid (PLA) into pyruvic acid (PA). Achieving a remarkable H₂ evolution rate of 637.1 and 243.2 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹, in the presence of TEOA and PLA as a sacrificial reagent under UV-vis (λ ≥ 365 nm) light irradiation. The improved photocatalytic activity is a result of the combination of dual cocatalyst on the surface of TTC photocatalyst, which create an ideal synergistic effect for the generation of PA and the production of H₂ simultaneously. The MoS₂TiO₂/Ti₃C₂ (MTT) composite can generate more photoexcited charge carriers, leading to the generation of more active radicals, which may enhance the system's photocatalytic activity. This work aims at demonstrating its future significance and guide the scientific community towards a more efficient approach to commercializing H₂ through photocatalysis.