1D/2D TiO2/ZnIn2S4 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution

TiO2 is a promising photocatalyst with limited use in practical applications owing to its wide bandgap, narrow light response range, and rapid recombination of photoexcited carriers. To address these limitations, novel 1D/2D TiO2/ZnIn2S4 heterostructure was designed according the principles S-scheme heterojunction. The (TZISx) hybrids prepared via hydrothermal method afforded significant improvement photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) comparison pristine ZnIn2S4. In particular, optimal TZIS2 sample (mass ratio ZnIn2S4 0.4) exhibited highest PHE activity (6.03 mmol/h/g), which approximately 3.7 2.0 times higher than those ZnIn2S4, respectively. This could be attributed formation an intimate heterojunction interface, high-efficiency separation charge carriers, abundant reactive sites, enhanced absorption capacity. Notably, theoretical experimental results demonstrated that mechanism interfacial electron transfer TZISx composites facilitated resulting more isolated electrons for reaction.