Carbon Nanotube/ZnIn₂S₄ Nanocomposites with Efficient Spatial Charge Separation and Migration for Solar H₂ Generation

Abstract

The addition of carbon materials to semiconductor catalyst systems can boost the activity of photocatalytic H2 production substantially. Herein, we prepared a series of carbon nanotube/ZnIn2S4 (CNT/ZIS) composites with different contents of CNTs through a simple hydrothermal process and investigated the effect of CNTs on hydrogen evolution performance of ZIS in detail. The electron–hole behavior of CNT/ZIS is studied by photocurrent density, linear sweep voltammetry, steady state, and transient fluorescence spectra. Meanwhile, its optical properties have been studied. Comprehensive experimental characterization and theoretical research reveal that CNTs can not only enhance the visible-light absorption property of composite materials but also efficiently separate the photoinduced carriers and supply more active sites. In consequence, CNT/ZIS exhibits superior photocatalytic H2 evolution. The optimal sample has a hydrogen production rate of 8904.2 μmol·g–1·h–1 under visible-light irradiation, which is 13.2 times higher than that of bare ZIS. Our work offers a simple, cheap, and green method for improving the photocatalytic performance of photocatalysts toward practical applications.

Tailoring Charge Separation in ZnIn2S4@CdS Hollow Nanocages for Simultaneous Alcohol Oxidation and CO2 Reduction under Visible Light

“…According to previous studies, low dimensional metal sulfides such as ZnIn 2 S 4 , Zn 3 In 2 S 6 , CdS, and CdIn 2 S 4 are promising photocatalysts due to their wide visible light absorption, suitable energy band structure, unique photoelectric characteristic, manageable growth, and simple preparation. − More importantly, under visible light irradiation, they can photocatalytically reduce CO 2 , and the CO 2 reduction activity could be enhanced by coupling with other photocatalysts. , Additionally, they also exhibited efficiently photocatalytic activity for selective oxidation of alcohols into corresponding aldehydes in the presence of O 2 . Therefore, metal sulfides may be potential candidates for simultaneous CO 2 reduction and aromatic alcohol oxidation in one reaction system by a rational design.…”

Boosting the photocatalytic activity of ZnIn2S4-based photocatalyst for H2 evolution using porous ZnWO4 nanoflakelets as a cocatalyst

“…As a member of the ternary sulfide family, 2D layered structure ZnIn 2 S 4 exhibits considerable potential in the field of photocatalytic H 2 generation owing to its suitable band gap, facile preparation and its environmentally friendly nature. 1,2 However, ZnIn 2 S 4 is still plagued by low photocatalytic activity, which hinders its potential for large-scale application. To address this issue, various strategies, such as nanostructure modification, cocatalyst loading, doping, and fabricating heterostructures, have been devoted to enhancing the photocatalytic activity of ZnIn 2 S 4 .…”