Rational design of 2D/2D ZnIn2S4/C3N4 heterojunction photocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic H2 production

Abstract

The development of close contact two-dimensional (2D) heterojunction photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution performance possesses great significance. In this work, we reported the design and photocatalytic activity of 2D ZnIn₂S₄ nanosheet (NS)/2D C₃N₄ NS heterojunction photocatalysts, which were prepared using a hydrothermal method. The ZnIn₂S₄ NSs were grown evenly on the surface of C₃N₄(180) nanosheets. The photocatalytic H₂ production performance of heterojunction photocatalysts was also tested under visible-light irradiation. In addition, the unique 2D/2D heterojunction architecture offered a larger contact area, stronger electronic interaction and longer lifetime of photogenerated carriers to enhance the separation and the transfer of charges. Therefore, the optimized 40ZnIn₂S₄/C₃N₄(180) possesses the best H₂ production performance (2016.94 μmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹), which is about 22.9- and 2.2-fold that of C₃N₄ and ZnIn₂S₄, respectively. This work may provide promising potential for the construction of 2D/2D heterojunction photocatalysts with outstanding performance and high stability.