Photo/Electrochemical Applications of Metal Sulfide/TiO₂ Heterostructures

Abstract Developing efficient and affordable catalysts is of great significance for energy and environmental sustainability. Heterostructure photocatalysts exhibit a better performance than either of the parent phases as it changes the band bending at the interfaces and provides a driving force for carrier separation, thus mitigating the effects of carrier recombination and back‐reaction. Herein, the photo/electrochemical applications of a variety of metal sulfides (MS_x) (MoS₂, CdS, CuS, PbS, SnS₂, ZnS, Ag₂S, Bi₂S₃, and In₂S₃)/TiO₂ heterojunctions are summarized, including organic degradation, water splitting, and CO₂ reduction conversion. First, a general introduction on each MS_x material (especially bandgap structures) will be given. Then the photo/electrochemical applications based on MS_x/TiO₂ heterostructures are reviewed from the perspective of light harvesting ability, charge carrier separation and transportation, and surface chemical reactions. Special focus is given to CdS/TiO₂ and PbS/TiO₂‐based quantum dot sensitized solar cells. Ternary composites by taking advantages of positive synergetic effects are also well summarized. Finally, conclusions are made regarding approaches for structure design, and the authors' perspective on future architectural design and electrode construction is given. This work will make up the gap for TiO₂ nanocomposites and shed light on the fabrication of more efficient MS_x‐metal oxide junctions in photo/electrochemical applications.