Visible-light-responsive S-vacancy ZnInS/N-doped TiO nanoarray heterojunctions for high-performance photoelectrochemical water splitting

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2024-07, Vol.12 (26), p.1592-15913
• Main Authors: Bao, Zhiyong, Jiang, Yu, Zhang, Zhihong, Lv, Jun, Shen, Wangqiang, Dai, Jiyan, Wang, Jiaheng, Cai, Jing, Wu, Yucheng
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 2050-7488; 2050-7496
• DOI: 10.1039/d4ta01294a

The invention and design of defect-engineered heterojunctions (DEHs) has been considered an emerging prospect to achieve effective carrier separation and electron transport in hybrid nanocomposites, providing an innovative way to realize efficient solar-fuel production and achieve sustainable energy development. Introducing a desirable interfacial chemical bond via defect engineering is crucial to improve the electron transfer in photocatalysts. Herein, visible-light-responsive S-vacancy ZnIn 2 S 4 /N-doped TiO 2 (S v -ZIS/N-TiO 2 ) nanoarrays were synthesized for enhancing photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Under simulated sunlight exposure, the S v -ZIS/N-TiO 2 heterostructured photoanode could produce a photocurrent density of 4.9 mA cm −2 at an external potential of 1.23 V vs. RHE in a 0.5 M Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte and this DEH achieved an excellent PEC hydrogen evolution rate of 49.59 mmol g −1 h −1 . The IPCE of the photoanode device is ∼57.9% at 350 nm and ∼7.3% at 400 nm. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of one-dimensional TiO 2 nanoarrays decorated with ZnIn 2 S 4 quantum dots was attributed to the enhanced carrier separation, high charge transfer efficiency and improved carrier lifetime achieved as a result of the effective introduction of defective sites on the heterojunction. S v -ZIS/N-TiO 2 nanoarrays produced a photocurrent density of 4.9 mA cm −2 at an external potential of 1.23 V vs. RHE, and achieved PEC H 2 evolution rate of 49.59 mmol g −1 h −1 . The IPCE of the photoanode device is ∼57.9% at 350 nm and ∼7.3% at 400 nm.