Interfacing Ag₂S Nanoparticles and MoS₂ Nanosheets on Polypyrrole Nanotubes with Enhanced Catalytic Performance

Abstract

The tubular architecture with multiple components can bring synergistic effects to improve the enzyme-like activity of molybdenum-based nanomaterials. Here, a facile polypyrrole (PPy)-protected hydrothermal sulfidation process was implemented to engineer MoS₂/Ag₂S heterointerfaces encapsulated in one-dimensional (1D) PPy nanotubes with MoO₃@Ag nanorods as the self-sacrificing precursor. Notably, the sulfidation treatment led to the generation of MoS₂ nanosheets (NSs) and Ag₂S nanoparticles (NPs) and the creation of a tubular structure with a "kill three birds with one stone" role. The Ag₂S/MoS₂@PPy nanotubes showed the synergistic combined effects of Ag₂S NPs, MoS₂ NSs, and the 1D tube-like nanostructure. Based on the synergistic effects from these multiple components and the tubular structure, Ag₂S/MoS₂@PPy nanocomposites were used as a colorimetric sensing platform for detecting H₂O₂. Moreover, the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) revealed excellent catalytic activity in the presence of NaBH₄ and Ag₂S/MoS₂@PPy nanocomposites. This work highlights the effects of MoS₂/Ag₂S heterointerfaces and the hierarchical tubular structure in catalysis, thereby providing a new avenue for reducing 4-NP and the enzyme-like catalytic field.