Fabrication of a ternary NiS/ZnIn2S4/g-C3N4 photocatalyst with dual charge transfer channels towards efficient H2 evolution

Xiang-Yin Ji; Rui-Tang Guo; Jun-Ying Tang; Zhi-Dong Lin; Ye Yuan; Long-Fei Hong; Wei-Guo Pan

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2022.03.099

Fabrication of a ternary NiS/ZnIn₂S₄/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst with dual charge transfer channels towards efficient H₂ evolution

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2022 Jul 15:618:300-310. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.03.099. Epub 2022 Mar 23.

Authors

Xiang-Yin Ji¹, Rui-Tang Guo², Jun-Ying Tang³, Zhi-Dong Lin¹, Ye Yuan¹, Long-Fei Hong¹, Wei-Guo Pan⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai, China.
² College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Power Generation Environment Protection, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: grta@zju.edu.cn.
³ College of Mechanical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
⁴ College of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Power Generation Environment Protection, Shanghai, China.

PMID: 35344883
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.03.099

Abstract

As a renewable green energy, hydrogen has received widespread attention due to its huge potential in solving energy shortages and environment pollution. In this paper, a one-step solvothermal method was applied to grow ultra-thin g-C₃N₄ (UCN) nanosheets and NiS nanoparticles on the surface of ZnIn₂S₄ (ZIS). A ternary NiS/ZnIn₂S₄/ultra-thin-g-C₃N₄ composite material with dual high-speed charge transfer channels was constructed for the advancement of the photocatalytic H₂ generation. The optimal ternary catalyst 1.5wt.%NiS/ZnIn₂S₄/ultra-thin-g-C₃N₄ (NiS/ZIS/UCN) achieved a H₂ evolution yield reached to 5.02 mmolg^-1h^-1, which was 5.23 times superior than that of pristine ZnIn₂S₄ (0.96 mmolg^-1h^-1) and even outperform than that of the best precious metal modified 3.0 wt%Pt/ZnIn₂S₄ (4.08 mmolg^-1h^-1). The AQY at 420 nm could be achieved as high as 30.5%. The increased photocatalytic performance of NiS/ZIS/UCN could be ascribed to the type-I heterojunctions between intimated ZIS and UCN. In addition, NiS co-catalyst with large quantity of H₂ evolution sites, could result in efficient photo-induced charges separation and migration. Furthermore, the NiS/ZIS/UCN composite exhibited excellent H₂ evolution stability and recyclability. This work would also offer a reference for the design and synthesis of ternary co-catalyst with heterojunction composite for green energy conversion.

Keywords: Charge separation; Heterojunction; Hydrogen evolution; NiS/ZnIn(2)S(4)/ultra-thin-g-C(3)N(4); Photocatalysis.