Transient Metal Centers at the Covalent Heterointerface Favor Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

• Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces 2023-07, Vol.15 (26), p.31364-31374
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yuhua, Cheng, Chuchu, Xing, Fangshu, Li, Ze, Huang, Caijin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Energy, Environmental, and Catalysis Applications
• ISSN: 1944-8244; 1944-8252
• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c02662

Semiconductor heterostructures effectively promote the transfer and separation of interfacial photoinduced charges for the photocatalytic process. Herein, we constructed a direct Z-scheme SnSe2/CdS heterojunction photocatalyst. N-type SnSe2 semiconductors are suitable candidate materials for oxidation half-reactions in Z-scheme heterojunctions. The intimate atomic-level interfacial contact through Cd–Se bonds provides a better interfacial charge transport channel for the photoinduced charges. Moreover, the transient Sn4+/Sn0 centers caused by the photoredox process boost the interfacial charge transport/separation at the interface. Besides, the presence of S vacancies acting as electron enrichment centers further enhances the redox ability for hydrogen production. Therefore, the SnSe2/CdS heterostructure showed a superior visible-light photocatalytic H2-production activity of 13.6 mmol·g–1·h–1 using ascorbic acid as a sacrificial agent, which is 9.7 times higher than that of pristine CdS. The apparent quantum yield reaches 10.5% at λ = 420 nm. This work provides a useful way to improve charge transfer in the Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst for hydrogen production.