Recent advances and future directions of CdIn2S4-based photocatalysts: properties, synthesis, and modifications for energy and environmental applications

Abstract

Cadmium indium sulfide (CdIn₂S₄) is an exciting photocatalyst due to its high efficiency and ability to absorb sunlight. It is one of the few semiconducting materials that can absorb up to 620 nm, which represents 21% of the photons in solar illumination. CdIn₂S₄ is a relatively new photocatalyst and has shown an exponential increase in publications in the last 10 years. CdIn₂S₄-based photocatalysts are promising in many energy and environmental applications. This comprehensive review covers the basic concepts of semiconductor-based photocatalysis, heterojunctions, and charge transfer mechanisms with a focus on CdIn₂S₄. The recent advances and developments in the photocatalytic performance of CdIn₂S₄ in these different applications are discussed and examined in some applications such as hydrogen production, selective oxidation of organics, and some dual-functional systems. There are general approaches to enhance the performance of CdIn₂S₄ via techniques including doping, semiconductor coupling, carbon materials coupling, and defect engineering. These approaches are explained with mechanisms and examples from recently reported work. Finally, we provide some guidance for future research to overcome the current challenges of CdIn₂S₄ photocatalysts.