Researchers from CSIR- National Physical Laboratory and Indian Institute of Technology Madras have developed an innovative heterostructure of MoS 2 -decorated GaN nanorods on tungsten foil, promising a significant advancement in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting technology, as detailed in their recent publication in Frontiers in Energy .
Gallium nitride (GaN) nanostructures are renowned for their excellent electron mobility, chemical stability, and large surface area, making them ideal candidates for PEC water splitting. However, their wide bandgap (~3.4 eV) limits solar absorption, hindering performance. To overcome this, researchers sought to enhance GaN's efficiency by integrating it with molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), a material known for its superior catalytic properties.
The study unveiled that MoS 2 /GaN nanorods exhibited an impressive photocurrent density of approximately 172 µA/cm 2 , nearly 2.5 times the performance of bare GaN nanorods, which showed only ~70 µA/cm 2 . This enhancement is attributed to the Type II band alignment between MoS 2 and GaN, facilitating efficient charge separation, reduced charge transfer resistance, and increased active sites.
The research team employed a combination of atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and laser molecular beam epitaxy (LMBE) to fabricate the MoS 2 /GaN heterostructures on tungsten foil. The hexagonal phases of both materials were confirmed through Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to examine their electronic states.
This breakthrough offers a promising strategy to increase PEC efficiency in solar water splitting applications. The successful integration of MoS 2 with GaN nanorods not only enhances performance but also opens new avenues for developing more efficient solar-driven hydrogen production systems. This could significantly contribute to sustainable energy solutions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The research was funded by the CSIR-FIRST (MLP211732) and SAMMARTH (HCP-55). The detailed findings can be accessed in the full paper published in Frontiers in Energy : https://journal.hep.com.cn/fie/EN/10.1007/s11708-025-1035-z . Future research will focus on further optimizing the heterostructure and exploring its scalability for industrial applications.
Frontiers in Energy
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Tailoring GaN nanorods with MoS2 on tungsten foil for enhanced photoelectrochemical performance
30-Aug-2025